Viral Maelstrom
by erenia0324
Summary: Naruto was never meant to be a hero, nor a villain. He would carve his own path. He would choose his own fate. And maybe, he'd gain freedom. He would leave this dying world behind. First Fic! Dark! Violent! Lemons! Genderbending! Read and review! Make sure to tell me if you enjoyed, and if there is any room for improvement! (Discontinued.)
1. Chapter 1

Chapter One

A meaningless sacrifice

Konahagakure no sato. The most powerful village in the Five Great Shinobi Nations. It was night, the full moon hung in the sky, surrounded by stars, of many colors, red, blue, white, and yellow. All was at peace. It was never meant to last. A being of unfathomable power attacked. It's form was of a great fox, nine tails swayed in a hypnotic yet terrifying manner. The fox assaulted the village mercilessly, entire blocks fell to the swings of it's strangely human-like arms, it would grab and either crush those unfortunate enough to be caught in it's grasp to red paste and crunched bone. It made no distinction between man or woman. The old and sick. Not even children were spared. The village leader. The Yondaime Hokage would soon save the village, everyone hoped, everyone pleaded. But the village would not be saved without a sacrifice. That of his son. His very humanity, even his soul would be sacrificed to protect Konoha. That was the price of the Shinigami. And yet, Death was not without a sense of mercy. Ancient and eldritch it was, it pitied the child. And would bestow upon him a gift, from another reality entirely. All it needed to do was acquire the gift.

(?)

Alex Mercer knew that this day was coming. No...not Alex Mercer. He died a week and a half ago, He was just a creation of Mercer. Could he even be assigned a gender? Was he even alive? He had no heartbeat. He did not bleed. Bullets merely passed through him, or bounced off his form entirely. Not even the clothes on his back were real. Just biomass molded and shaped to resemble clothing. He looked to a mirror on the helicopter's dashboard, a gray hood concealed a majority of his head. He could see curly, dark brown hair under the hood. Blue-silver eyes stared back at him. His own eyes. He was clean-shaven. Not that he even possessed body hair. Or genitalia. He saw no need for those minor details.

He looked away, back towards the aircraft carrier, where he had just consumed both of his greatest enemies yet. The Supreme Hunter, the evolved form of the parasite that once plagued him. It once referred to itself as an "intelligent cancer". Then, the leader of Blackwatch, General Peter Randall. He smirked then, an odd sight for someone like him. Consuming someone granted him their memories, skills, everything that made them was stripped from their very soul. It was likely that, if he even possessed one, that his own soul proceeded to consume what remained of the human soul as well. Oh well. Such thoughts would likely be his last.

Randall, in a last-ditch effort to eliminate the virus that very nearly overtook Manhattan, had obtained a thermonuclear device, and had planned to detonate it in the heart of the city. Everything would be annihilated. Including Dana. His sister (or was she?) the one thing that tied him to the life he once thought the led. She had helped him so much... Then the original Mercer committed an atrocity that would never be forgiven. He realeased the Blacklight virus. A bio-weapon capable of horrifying damage. A nuke might reduce a few mile radius of land to an inhospitable crater, and spread radiation around for a few more miles.

But a virus? It could spread. It could traverse entire continents with the advent of world wide air travel. A single infected host could potentially spread it to a major population center. And the bodies would pile up. Blacklight was unique in that it was entirely impossible to create a vaccine for. Mercer had spliced the genetic code that offered the common cold it's immunity to every attempt to cure or vaccinate, into the Blacklight virus. With no vaccine or cure option available, the armed forces would be forced to euthanize infected. Obviously, some people would be opposed to that, dissent would blossom into existence, eventually metamorphosing into outright hostility and violence, the military would fighting a two front war, killing any infected in an attempt to prevent any more spread of the disease, and then there would be the resistance effort, the soldiers would likely break under the duress of being forced to kill their own countrymen, and eventually, society would collapse entirely, anarchy would reign. And the virus would spread further still. Until nothing remained but corpses. Genius.

But it was not meant to be. The virus was released on domestic soil. And nearly everyone in Manhattan would die because of it. He was the virus. When Mercer had broken the vial containing the Blacklight virus in Penn Station, it entered his body through the bullet wounds in his chest. Mercer's fresh corpse was consumed nearly instantly, every cell, every tissue, even the bones were broken down into their basest components, Biomass.

But there was no more time to reminiscence about the past, he had arrived. The plan was simplicity itself. Drop the nuke into the Atlantic Ocean a few miles off the coast, then get the fuck back to Manhattan and hopefully, he would get to watch the fireworks. He gently pulled back on the control stick, until the heli came to a stop. He glanced down at a small lever, with a blinking light above it. "CARGO RELEASE" was written underneath it in a rather annoying shade of bright orange.

He thumbed the lever, and the nuke was dropped into the sea below. 'Time to get the hell out of here', thought Alex. He jerked the stick and the heli was immediately turned away from the nuke, and he headed with full speed back towards Manhattan. He glanced down at his wrist, he had taken a digital stopwatch from one of the many dead soldiers back at the carrier. It read "00:36". 36 seconds left until detonation. He could see the carrier on the horizon. 22 seconds. The Empire State Building was visible now. It's spire light blinked red, slicing through the dense fog. 12 seconds. He wouldn't make it to a safe distance. 5. He would die here. 4. He'd never get to see Dana again. 3. No...it didn't matter. She'd never accept him for what he was. 2. He was a monster. 1. _He deserved to die._ **0.**

All Mercer knew then, was a bright light, an unbearable heat, and the strange sensation of feeling your entire body liquefy under all the force of the sun.

(Manhattan, Battery Park)

The mushroom cloud was visible to all in Manhattan. The fireball lit up the night, brighter than the sun, the moon, and all the other stars in the sky combined. A reporter hurriedly snapped a photo of the cloud, It would make for an excellent front page photo! A mother and her children stared, awed by the light, and the sound. A priest looked to the cloud, and uttered a fearful prayer for all souls in Manhattan.

Elsewhere, the helicopter had crash landed near Battery Park. Mercer was no more. Just a few bits and pieces of black and red biomass. A crow landed near a larger puddle. In another world, the crow would be consumed and Mercer would be reborn. But not here. Death, had other plans. The Shinigami appeared above the crow. It's baleful yellow eyes glared at it. The crow didn't stand a chance. It dropped dead before it could attempt to make a meal of the puddle. The Shinigami's hand, an inhuman pale gray, made contact with the puddle. It was swiftly turned into a simple black and red orb. It resembled a marble in appearance, with an odd red aura surrounding it. The Shinigami placed the orb into it's vestments, and made off to the Shinobi World. Mercer in tow.

(Hi no Kuni, Konahagakure no sato.)

"Minato, don't!" Kushina's desperate cries for her son were not heeded. Minato had her son, her precious little boy, in hand and was planning to seal the Kyuubi into him. 'No!' Try as she might, she was far too exhausted, her body too damaged by the forceful removal of the Kyuubi, she was effectively paralyzed from the waist down. She was powerless to stop this. She could nothing but watch in mute horror, as Minato summoned the Shinigami. It's form hung over him, his soul in it's grasp.

"SHIKI FUJIN!"

The Kyuubi was robbed of it's Yin chakra, and it was made evident by it's sudden decrease in size. The Sharingan, once dominating it's eyes had vanished shortly after the Shinigami appeared. Fear, was now evident in it's crimson gaze.

"FUIN!"

The Shinigami's hand impaled Minato then, depositing the Yin chakra in his body. It then rushed towards the Kyuubi. Minato slumped forward, his soul ripped from his body. His face was skeletal, his skin morphing into a pallor, that one would find on a months old corpse. The soul, was then consumed by the Shinigami, a noticeable blue light, shining through it's throat.

The hand grasped the Kyuubi fully then, a seal coming into existence on Naruto's stomach, and the dark red Yang chakra of the Kyuubi was now being siphoned into it. But the fox would not go down without a fight. It raised a paw, and a claw was extended towards the newborn. It would not be sealed again! It would have it's freedom!

Kushina would not stand for it. A burst of adrenaline surged through her veins, and she leaped into the path of the claw. Pain. Agony. A spray of crimson decorated the grass, as well as Naruto. His eyes opened then. And Kushina saw an intelligence, a comprehension that was entirely unsuited for a newborn. He looked towards her.

Those blue-silver eyes... that hair that was brighter than the sun. Kushina so desperately wanted to say her last words to him. A mother's loving words. But it was not meant to be. She felt herself growing weaker and weaker, her vision dimming more and more. She was released from the claw, for it was no longer there. The Kyuubi was sealed into the boy. Her last vision, was of the Shinigami lowering it's hand to Naruto, a strange black and red orb in it's grasp, before darkness overcame her. And then a piercing light.


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2**

**Dark beginnings**

It was a few years after the Kyuubi attacked Konahagakure, the damage had been repaired... mostly. There were still areas around the village closed off to the public because of the Kyuubi's poisonous chakra having contaminated the area. They weren't difficult to locate, signs stating that the area was unsafe for human beings. A more physical sign was the dozens of dead trees dotting the contaminated areas, there were even what appeared to be charred skeletons strewn about the landscape as well, so corroded they were now almost entirely unrecognizable.

But the village itself was thankfully left untouched by the toxic energy, only the surrounding forests were affected. The populace was not so lucky unfortunately. Expecting mothers were horrified to see their children born with a multitude of deformities, or were outright stillborn. Young children suffered from debilitating conditions, like chronic arthritis, sclerosis, and their immune systems were crippled from the fox's chakra permeating their developing bodies, rendering them far more vulnerable to disease and infection.

The amount of villagers and shinobi killed in the initial attack paled in comparison to the death toll not a few months later. Nearly 25% of the civilian population either died, or left permanently disabled. 5% of the shinobi forces were left permanently disabled. It was the singular worst tragedy to strike the village since it's founding. Combine a spike in suicides, and nearly 7% of the over 50,000 people living in Konoha died in the following year.

In an effort to calm the civilians, the Sandaime Hokage, Hiruzen Sarutobi, spoke to the entire village in a monumental speech, stating that the fact that Konoha still stood was a testament to the strength of the village as a whole, and eventually life returned to at least a semblance of normal. And then the information about the Kyuubi's true fate was leaked to the public. The leaker was never found, however a man presumed to be the leaker was found dead in his apartment within the wealthy district of Konoha, with a suicide note beside him, making mentions of the "demon child" and how the people of Konoha needed to band together to eliminate the Kyuubi once and for all, by killing it's "reincarnation", Naruto Uzumaki.

However, fear overruled the civilian's fury, and people were far too afraid to attack Naruto en masse. A few brave individuals would attempt to take his life, but they would mysteriously disappear. No body would be found, just a copious amount of blood, roughly equating to the total amount of blood within the human body. These disappearances stank heavily of foul play, but no suspect would ever be found.

Naruto was now four and a half years old.

(Konohagakure, Red light district)

Naruto never knew happiness. Not in his short life. Almost everyone in the village hated him. And those who became violent, he...ate them. He didn't know how else to describe it. He would somehow shove his tiny arms through their chest or merely make contact with them, and then..._tendrils_ would emerge from the point of contact, penetrate the skin, and begin to break down the cells that made up the body, until they were reduced to simple organic molecules, and the tendrils, now fattened would return to his body. He would feel strangely satiated, and then came the _memories_. Memories that weren't his. Memories that belonged to the people he killed. It was how he was so intelligent. How he managed to avoid any further attempts on his life. He had gained a complete understanding of human psychology as well. He could predict a person's actions and thoughts very easily. He had first killed a half year ago. His body count numbered somewhere in the 30s by now. And he knew why he was hated so. Apparently he was the Kyuubi reincarnate, the fox that had attacked the village the day he was born. He knew this was not true, but he had a theory as to what connected him to the fox.

He was it's Jinchuuriki. A human sacrifice. The Kyuubi was sealed into his body, his very soul, by the former leader of the village. _**Minato Namikaze.**_ Just thinking of the man was enough to spark a horrid rage within himself, a desire to destroy, to kill. And it scared him. What if he lost control? He didn't care much about human life, callously ending those who threatened him. But he killed them because they were a threat. Could he really kill an innocent person in cold blood? He already knew the answer to that question. _**YES.**_ And it was as horrifying a thought as it was also attractive. He knew that with the more people he killed, and consumed, the stronger he became. The more intelligent he became.

But he did more than kill didn't he? Yes, he did more than consume the body. The very **soul** was prey as well. He had a glimpse of this when he discovered the odd ability to see the souls of the living, and the spirits of the dead. Ah, yes... another ability afforded to him. He postulated it was due to his status as a border being. Something not quite alive, nor dead. He had glimpsed the man's soul, a bright blue light, with a pinprick of darkness in it's core. He witnessed how, what he believed to be his own soul, entirely black, had actually _reached out_ and absorbed the man's soul.

And that opened up an entirely new can of worms. What had happened to his soul? Was it twisted by the presence of the Kyuubi? Or was it changed by the very nature of his body? He didn't have an answer. He wasn't sure he wanted one.

'At least people are too afraid of me to attack me now...' Naruto thought, 'It was annoying how they never seemed to learn to leave me alone.'

He had gained an apartment, graciously given to him by the Sandaime, he never knew why the old man was so kind to him... was it all a ruse? An attempt to get him to trust the old monkey, so he may have access to the nigh-infinite strength of the Kyuubi? He hoped not. The old man was frankly the only reason he hadn't outright left the village entirely. If he was deceiving him... he feared for the old man.

He idly glanced around his surroundings, the apartment was rundown, paint flaking off the walls. Occasionally a cockroach or some other vermin would make itself known. They were good snacks. There was a little kitchen area off in the corner, a stove, refrigerator, and a few cupboards. All had seen better days, what with the rust, grime, and overall disrepair they were in. It wasn't like he needed or used them though.

He never got hungry, or physically tired. He didn't need to breath, nor did he require warmth. His skin was cold to the touch, and very pale. Almost like a corpse. It helped intimidate potential threats. He idly ran a hand through his hair, knocking a few bright blond strands in front of his eyes. He headed towards the bathroom then, and pushed the door open, the knob was missing entirely. He stepped in and looked towards the mirror. Blue-silver eyes stared back. Devoid of recognizable emotion. He did feel, just not in the same way a human would. The processes behind emotion were like night and day in that respect.

He wore a simple white hooded jacket, adjusted for his young age, as well a black bubble vest. (Beta Alex Mercer) his lower attire consisted of black jeans, as well as simple black urban loafers. He turned, back facing the mirror, his head was oriented towards the mirror. A strange symbol decorated the space on his jacket, spreading from shoulder to shoulder. It was a pair of vaguely wing like shapes, that glowed a sinister red.

Having admired himself long enough, he stepped out of the bathroom. He had a meeting with the Hokage today... The old man tried so very hard to keep him innocent. To preserve his childhood. It failed, of course. But at least the elderly kage tried. That was a hell of a lot better than most people he knew.

He moved towards the door that would lead to the hallway, and eventually descended down the stairs. He lived on the top floor, the center room. The entire complex was abandoned, ever since he moved in, it's former residents all signed out once they found out they were sharing living space with the demon child. Naruto often fantasized about hanging them with their still warm intestines.

He exited the apartment building. And immediately headed towards a manhole. He opened it, the heavy cast iron disk weighed nothing to him. He dropped down, and summoned a few tendrils to close the manhole.

The sewers were like a second home to him. No one ever dared to descend here. The smell was nauseating, and it all too easy to slip and take an unwilling bath in at least a few feet of human waste. And it was dark, there was no artificial lighting, leaving the tunnels practically pitch black. The smell didn't affect him in the least. And he see beyond the spectrum of visible light. He felt the structure of his eyes change, and the darkness was soon replaced by a vision of blue and red. Infrared. He thrived in environments like this, where his prey had no hope of ever seeing him coming. A few red blobs darted in and out of sight in the distance. Rats. It took less than five minutes to get to his destination. He climbed the ladder, lifted the manhole cover, and crawled out. He replaced the cover.

He could see the Hokage Tower now. He had a preferred method of entry...

(Hokage's Office)

Hiruzen Sarutobi was currently battling his most tenacious foe. Something more powerful than all the Bijuu combined. Something more intelligent than the entirety of the Nara Clan. Something more resilient than all the mountains in the world. This eldritch foe's name? _**Paperwork.**_ He signed and stamped at a blistering pace, little more than a blur to the average human's eyes. Yet no matter how he tried, no matter how valiantly he fought, the stack grew and grew in size. He wouldn't last for much longer. An idea came to mind.

"Kage Bunshin no Jutsu!"

Four identical copies of the Sandaime poofed into existence in a cloud of white smoke, together they would defeat this enemy of all kages! In less than a few minutes all the paperwork was vanquished. The clones disappeared, and Hiruzen raised a hand to his forehead momentarily, in an effort to alleviate the slight headache produced by the memory feedback.

And then he realized, with a horrified and dumbstruck expression, That more paperwork was on his desk. '_**HOW!?'**_ his elderly mind screamed. How had that damn paperwork sneak up on him?!

He was torn from his misery by a sudden thud near the window. He immediately leaped into action, taking a taijutsu stance before the intruder could surprise him. He never noticed Naruto until it was too late.

"_Boo."_

A girlish scream tore it's way from Hiruzen's throat, as he whirled behind him. Naruto's ever stoic face was there to greet him. He screamed again. And proceeded to trip on his feet. His head roughly bounced off the hardwood floor.

Naruto's face made itself known again, he was kneeling over his fallen body.

"Are you alright old man?"

"Owwwww..."

"Should I get a medic-nin?"

"Urrrrrggggghhhh..."

"Damn. How am I going to get him up?"

"Oh wait, there is that weird orange book he hides in his desk."

Naruto picked up the strange book, and read the cover.

"Icha-Icha Paradise? Co-Ed loving?"

Curiosity overtook him, and he opened the book up. He was not pleased at what he saw. Far from it.

'Who the hell reads this crap? It's just pure smut. Where's the story? Where's the romance, the drama, the tragedy? Wait, who the hell wrote this anyway?'

He turned the book around, and glanced at where the writer's name was.

"Jiraiya?"

At that Hiruzen stirred. Naruto looked back at him. He had managed to get back on his feet, though he was now nursing a bump on the back of his head. He looked towards Naruto and his face twisted into a rather comical expression of anger.

"_**NARUTO, HOW MANY TIMES HAVE I TOLD YOU NOT TO SNEAK UP ON ME?!"**_

The shout was powerful enough to actually shake the Tower. Many secretaries and chunin were convinced that an earthquake had just happened.

Naruto idly stuck his pinky finger into his ear, wiggled it around, and eventually took it back out, wiping it off on his jacket.

"Let's see, to date... around 468 times."

"I didn't mean literally!"

"You know how bad I am with sayings."

"That's not the point!"

"Meh. 'Sides it was funny seeing such a great and powerful shinobi scream like a pre-pubescent school girl."

Hiruzen's cheeks flushed then.

"Anyway, I believe you called me here?"

Hiruzen blinked. The blush died down. He sat down, steepled his fingers together, and adopted a serious expression on his face.

"Yes, I did Naruto. I want to discuss the possibility of you joining the shinobi forces."

Naruto's eyebrow twitched once.

"Again with this? Wouldn't I be unfit for service, what with my sociopathy, violent tendencies, and overall low sanity?"

Hiruzen sighed then.

"Naruto, your not insane, your just troubled."

Naruto frowned.

"Yes, of course. Because butchering and eating people only counts as 'troubled.'"

Hiruzen adopted a sad expression then. He had failed in keeping Naruto a child. And what a failure it was indeed. Here was a child, with all the issues a war veteran suffering from PTSD would have. It wasn't right. The guilt often kept him up at night.

"Naruto..."

Naruto sighed.

"Old man, I can't be fixed. You know that. And I don't blame you. You tried your very best. Even risked your position once. I can't ever thank you enough for at least trying. I'll join."

Hiruzen's eyes widened.

"W-What? Just like that?"

Naruto's eyes suddenly narrowed then. His faintly glowing blue eyes rooted Hiruzen in place.

"On one condition. You tell me _**everything**_ about my past. My parents, why everyone hates me, _**everything.**_"

Hiruzen's eyes widened even further. They resembled two sake saucers.

"Naruto... are you sure? I kept your past secret from you, so I could protect you. So I could prevent any more damage to you. The truth... it may very well scar you for life."

He was obviously worried. He was willing to tell Naruto.

Naruto's gaze hardened.

"How can I be scarred any further? I'm made of scars now."

Hiruzen winced none too subtly.

"Okay... I'll tell you. But not now.."

Naruto gained an expression of slight anger.

"_When?"_

"Once you graduate."

Naruto calmed.

"Alright. I can deal with that. How long will Academy last?"

"You'll be sixteen when you graduate. Assuming you don't fail."

"Okay. I'll wait until then. But you are going to tell me _everything_."

Naruto turned on his heel, and walked towards the window. Opening it, and leaping towards his apartment.

"I'm getting far too old for this shit."

Hiruzen grumbled once, then proceeded to grab the Icha-Icha book. He opened it, having dog-eared a page. Perverted giggling filled the office.

"Hohohoho... Aya... your a naughty girl."


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

School daze

Naruto landed a few feet away from the entrance to his apartment building, a deafening thud, and a few fragments of concrete flew away from his impact site. He walked towards the door, opened it, and headed towards the stairs. Feeling a little lazy, he chose to walk up the stairs rather than simply leaping up to the top floor.

He made his way back to his apartment, and entered.

'Something's off here...', Naruto had a good reason to be suspicious, for a few months now, he had been experiencing rather strange dreams. A city, built of concrete, steel, and glass. The buildings were taller than the Bijuu, and so many people populated it. A name came to mind... New York City. He had no idea where these memories could have possibly came from, there was no way they could have belonged to one of the many people he killed.

And now... he was seeing things. Ghosts? More memories? He didn't know. He could make out a feminine figure. She was transparent, but he could make out a skin tone, it was similar to his own. Short somewhat spiky dark brown hair adorned a heart-shaped face. She was slender, and wearing a black cropped jacket with a deep V-neck, it exposed some of her midriff. She was wearing a cropped wool shirt underneath the jacket. A denim short skirt and skintight black stockings made up her lower attire. Footwear consisted of red and white sneakers.

She appeared to be conversing with someone. A figure came into existence a few feet in front of her. He was male, broad shoulders. A black leather jacket adorned with an eerily familiar symbol on the back. A gray hood was underneath the jacket, followed by a white dress shirt, untucked. Dark gray jeans and black urban loafers. Naruto moved around, in an effort to get a better look at his face.

The man seemed around 30 years old. A very strong jaw, well-defined chin. His nose was somewhat broad. Blue-silver eyes, identical to his own, and to the woman he was speaking to. Dark brown hair, identical to the woman in front of him.

Who were these people? They were from those strange memories. What were there names? He strained to remember, but was interrupted when their conversation suddenly became audible.

The woman was heard first.

"_Looks an awful lot like a college student these days, not bad for fifty-five years old."_

The man spoke next.

"_Hope, Idaho was an experiment."_

The woman was taken aback by that.

"_How could you possibly know that?"_

"_The people I've killed... they're in me... I can hear them...see the things they've done..."_

He was walking away from her towards the end of that sentence, the woman had stepped forward, grabbed his arm, and turned him back towards her.

"_What the fuck are you talking about?"_

The man gained a slightly crazed expression then.

"_I can understand it all...I'm supposed to do these things...it's right...I can feel it."_

He had stepped closer and closer to the woman, and in turn the woman backed away until she couldn't any longer, slightly bending over something Naruto couldn't see. Her face was twisted in slight fear.

"_F-Find Ragland...and ask him about McMullen..."_

The man stepped back, aware of what he was doing. He reached out in an effort to comfort her. The woman raised a hand in defense, and closed her eyes. Naruto found himself suddenly incapable of looking away from her.

When she opened her eyes, and Naruto was freed from the sudden paralysis, the man was gone. And with that the woman disappeared as well, fading from view.

"What the fuck was that?" Naruto whispered out to himself. He would occasionally hear voices in his head, but he never once saw a memory just play out like that. What the hell was going on?

"_I was hoping this wouldn't happen for a little while longer..."_

At the sound that man's voice again, Naruto whirled around, fists raised in a combat stance.

"_Relax...I'm not going to try and hurt you. You couldn't anyway. I'm not out there."_

"Then where the hell are you?! The fuck did you do to me!?" Naruto shouted out.

"_Like I said...just relax. All will be explained soon enough."_

Naruto suddenly felt strangely light-headed. His clenched fists relaxed, as he swayed to and fro, he collapsed in a heap.

(?)

Naruto groaned in discomfort as he rose to his feet. He looked around, and wherever the hell he was, it wasn't his apartment.

It resembled an oversized sewer, with brick walls, ankle-high water, and no visible roof, just darkness. Occasionally water would drip from a system of pipes that spanned the walls.

Where was he? This didn't resemble the sewers of Konoha, it was too...expansive for that. There was a gap of roughly twenty feet from the walls to his left and right.

'Okay, I need to find a way out of this place.'

He looked at his surroundings again, and located what seemed to a smaller tunnel branching off from the main tunnel.

'Is that the way out? Well, only one way to find out.'

He made his way to the smaller tunnel, it was big enough to fit an average adult. More than suitable for his own small stature. He entered the tunnel, and was suddenly overcame by a blinding light.

(Konohagakure, 6 months after Naruto's fourth birthday)

Naruto found himself suddenly propelled forward into a concrete wall. His face bounced off like it was made of rubber, and he swiftly found himself on the floor.

"That probably would have hurt..." Naruto mumbled to himself. He was confused as to why he didn't just outright break the wall or burrow a few inches into it. He rose to his feet, and looked around.

"I'm back in Konoha?"

Indeed he was on a street, it seemed oddly familiar. Oh...that's why. It was where he first killed. But he felt strange here... like he was just an observer. Why?

His answer came when he saw himself, six months younger, rush past.

'Oh shit...'

He had found himself in one of his memories. Was that sewer his mind?

"_He went this way!"_

A voice cried out, and two men came barreling around the corner at the far end of the street. They spotted Naruto, and sprinted towards him.

"_Come on!"_

He followed the men, and they around the corner at the other end of the street. Dead end. And he could see himself, he wasn't scared in the least. No, he was fully willing to fight for his life if necessary.

The two men took out kitchen knives.

"_Is this the right thing to do?" _The man on the left hissed that to his companion. The man on the right gained an angry expression, but it couldn't quite mask the fear in his eyes.

"_Of course it is idiot! If we kill this kid, we get to hailed as heroes!"_

"_But..."_

"_No buts! We do this now!"_

The man on the right suddenly rushed forward, knife drawn back, aiming for Naruto's heart.

But he never struck, Naruto dodged at the very last second, and instinct forced him to respond in kind to the attack. He lashed out with a small fist. And the would-be murderer's skull caved in. Naruto's eyes had widened, As black tendrils emerged from his clenched fist and made contact with what was left of the man's face. He watched in fascination as flesh and bone became a black liquid with the occasion red thread within. And then the tendrils came back. And with it, the agony. The memories.

"**Look out! The Kyuubi's coming this way!"**

**He was so afraid, he hadn't seen his parents since the attack started, they were ninjas right? They could beat this fox, couldn't they?**

**He looked up and beheld the terrifying visage of the Kyuubi. It's teeth were fully visible, each roughly the size of an adult. It's lips were pulled back in an enraged snarl. Then it's eyes made contact with his own. **

**The fox's eyes were red. With a slit pupil. He could have sworn he saw the tomoe of the Sharingan within, but then the Fox roared. He had never ran so fast or so far before.**

Naruto saw his younger self gasp once the initial memory ended. He brought his hands to his head. It hurt so much, that first consumption. The second though...

"_Oh my Kami..." _The man who was reluctant to kill Naruto had dropped the knife in shock. He was frozen. He was terrified. Then Naruto made eye contact with him. The man's eyes widened. He never stood a chance, even as he turned in an effort to get away from this monster in human form. He was tackled suddenly, and even as he attempted to throw the monster off his back, it was digging into his skull, he could feel it beginning to fracture.

Naruto eventually gave up on crushing the man's skull, and instead violently jerked his hands. He could hear the crunch of vertebrae, as they gave under his own inhuman strength. He was so hungry, he needed to eat... All Naruto saw then was red, and the crunch of bone, and that hunger dissipating.

"Damn your childhood was bad."

Naruto whirled behind him, it was the hooded man! He suppressed the urge to attack, he had a succinct feeling he didn't stand a chance against this man.

"Who are you?" Naruto did his very best to remain calm.

"I'm the source of your powers."

Naruto raised an eyebrow.

"That didn't answer the question."

The man smirked. This kid was smart.

"My name is Alex Mercer."

"Naruto Uzumaki."

Alex crouched down, getting to eye level with Naruto.

"I've been there every step of your life kid. I wanted to try and help you, but I could never reach you until now."

Naruto was confused, rightly so. Alex could have helped him? How? And what was preventing him?

"What do you mean?"

Alex's eyes darkened with anger then.

"That damn seal. It took me nearly five years to find out a way to communicate with you. It was far too late though. You've already taken your first life, and you haven't been able to stop killing since."

Naruto eyes widened in realization, his eyes darting towards his stomach. That was what that strange marking was? A seal? He had heard of seals before, but he never saw a seal himself. The shinobi he consumed had only a very basic knowledge of seals, mostly paper bomb tags and the like.

"You were sealed into me? Does that mean...?"

Alex honestly did feel sorry for Naruto, so many secrets had been kept from him. He himself wasn't really bound to the seal because he wasn't it's original target. He didn't know what was sealed into Naruto, he honestly did wish he knew.

"I don't know Naruto, I haven't seen the Kyuubi since I've gotten in here."

Naruto noticeably calmed then. The memory was still playing out, and the Hokage's voice drew his attention.

"_Naruto...what happened?"_

Hiruzen was looking into an alleyway, he had personally investigated this tragedy. He had followed a trail of drops of blood away from the initial crime scene and it had led him here. Naruto was hiding in the alleyway, And he was covered in blood. His eyes were unfocused, staring at nothing.

"_Naruto!"_

At that Naruto stirred, and looked towards Hiruzen.

"_Old...man..."_

Hiruzen quickly made his way towards Naruto, and placed a comforting hand on his shoulder.

"_Are you okay, Naruto?"_

Naruto shook his head.

"_I...killed...them..."_

Hiruzen's eyes widened in horror and realization.

"_Oh, Naruto..."_

He quickly lifted Naruto up in his arms, and made way to the hospital. There were some members of the staff, a few doctors and nurses, that weren't prejudiced towards him, Naruto needed somewhere safe to recover.

The memory ended then, and the two of them were returned to the main tunnel.

Alex spoke up.

"Naruto you should probably get some rest, Academy starts tomorrow."

Naruto nodded, he certainly felt more than a little tired.

"Okay, but how do I leave this place?"

Alex took on a thoughtful expression.

"Think about leaving maybe?"

That certainly made sense.

"That might work."

Naruto adopted a pensive expression then.

"Are you still going to be here?"

Alex crouched down again, took the hood off Naruto's head and ruffled his hair.

"Of course Naruto."

Naruto tried to smack away Alex's hand, he didn't like being touched! Dammit! Now Alex was laughing!

Alex couldn't quite suppress the chuckle as Naruto tried and failed to stop him from messing with his hair. Maybe there was still hope for him.

He eventually managed to get Alex to stop messing up his hair, and looked at him with an angry expression, somewhat offset by his pouting.

"Don't do that again."

Alex chuckled further still.

"No promises."

Naruto stopped pouting and eventually began fading from view.

"I have a feeling I'll like you kid."

(Naruto's Apartment.

His first sight when he was back in the waking world was of his ceiling. He was back now. He sat up and looked around to ensure that no more visions would appear out of nowhere.

Alex had mentioned being able to communicate, he wondered...

'Alex?'

A few seconds passed before an answer came.

_'Hey Naruto.'_

Alex's voice came to him, a feeling of relief came awash over him.

'I can talk to you, good.'

_'As entertaining as it might be to talk, you need your rest. Go to bed.'_

'Alright, alright, I'm going.'

He rose fully to his feet, and made his way to his bed. It was, like everything else in his apartment, old, and in disrepair. But he didn't care.

He got under the sheets, laying his head on the pillow, and closed his eyes. He still had questions about Alex, what did he mean when he said that he was the source of his powers? Did Mercer possess the same powers he did? It seemed likely, the vision that had forced him into his mind, had him mention the people he killed being 'part of him'. It was certainly likely. He would have to contemplate these questions tomorrow.

It would be a dreamless sleep.

And that's a wrap! Naruto has more questions to answer, and Alex is now involved in the story!

Read and review!


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4

Understanding yourself

Naruto awoke around 5:00 AM. Academy would begin around 6:30 AM. He had some free time until he began the long journey of becoming an official Konoha nin. He decided to pass the time by asking Alex a few questions about his past, and what his life was like.

The answers weren't what he expected. Not at all. He learned Alex wasn't really human, much like Naruto, but with a key difference. Alex wasn't human to begin with.

He explained how the face he wore, and his name weren't his. They belonged to a scientist, specifically a geneticist specializing in the manipulation of viruses. Alex (or as he was once called, codename Zeus) was in truth a creation of the scientist, a bio-weapon he had called the Blacklight Virus, or by it's strain serial code, DX-1118.

The way it worked was simply fascinating to Naruto. The virus operated by infecting a host, via multiple methods, like airborne viral particles clinging to dust, or traveling in water by hitchhiking on other microbes, like plankton or very simple multi-cellular animals like juvenile shrimp or other crustaceans, or it could travel by blood, burrowing into, and controlling, red blood cells.

When the virus successfully infected a host cell, it immediately forces the cell to activate junk DNA in it's chromosomes, sparking a variety of biological changes that drastically affect the cell. Once the cell was fully transformed, it was a machine designed to capture other cells live and forcefully infect them. If the host cell was irreparably damaged, it would begin to break itself down, and use the now free organic molecules to construct more virions to infect more cells. Once a cell was completely dissolved, it would have made up to 1000 virions out of it's own body.

An average person would be in critical condition within half an hour. Their organs would be slowly turned into more and more of the virus, until they simply could no longer function. They would lose consciousness within five minutes of collapsing. Death would occur seconds later.

The virions within would continue to work, making more of themselves, until all that remained was a puddle consisting entirely of the virus, a crimson thick fluid. They would eventually move on, either by being caught on a passing dust particle, or having the entire viral super colony make it's way to a water source, such as a river or lake. The ones having hitched a ride on air currents may find themselves suddenly inhaled by a living thing, where the process would begin anew. It made no distinction between human or animal.

The entire super colony within a body of water would form a basic form for traveling in water, and if it encountered an organism unfortunate enough to be in it's path, said organism would be overwhelmed and consumed.

This revelation answered many questions that Naruto had, the nature of his powers, what he had (or at least his physical body) become, as well explaining how consuming worked. Naruto asked Alex (or was it Zeus?) what exactly he was then, the answer was rather shocking.

Alex had explained that he essentially, a viral super colony having gained sentience. Because of the unique conditions in which he had consumed the original Alex's corpse, it meant that he had fully transformed the body within the span of a few minutes, with the dead and dying cells offering no resistance. It gave him more time to develop, he had estimated that a viral super colony would eventually become sentient within half a century, but because he had a fresh corpse to snack on, it meant that the developing colony could immediately form, and begin the process to sentience almost instantly, Zeus, as he refused to be called by a dead man's name anymore, became fully sentient in two hours.

That arose even more questions about Naruto, was he like Zeus now? If he was, then why did he possess a soul, while Zeus did not? How was Naruto even infected to begin with? He had very vague recollection of his early life, but never was there a moment where he could have come in contact with the virus. Or was there? He still hadn't confirmed the Kyuubi's presence within himself, but if the fox was sealed into him shortly after birth, did it affect him somehow? Did it's chakra somehow boost his mental prowess beyond the levels of the average newborn? Did he possess memories of birth?

There were a few tunnels, near where his mind seemed to 'begin' for lack of a better term, he knew that those small tunnels led to his own personal memories, so what were those first memories of? It seemed that with every question answered, a hundred more came into existence. It was extremely frustrating. And was something that haunted Naruto. His past was shrouded in so much mystery, and as much as he wanted to pull back the curtain, he felt that what he would see, would be more damaging than everything he had already experienced in his young life.

But, the time for contemplating was over now, the alarm clock (relatively new since he had stolen it from a random civilian) began ringing incessantly. He suppressed that urge to break it (He really needed to get better at controlling himself) with a monumental effort. He very calmly walked over to it...and proceeded to smash it into broken glass and dented metal.

'Oops.'

Oh, well no matter... the alarm was to warn him that he had half an hour to get to the Academy.

'I've sat on my ass, thinking about shit for an hour?' Naruto though incredulously, if he continued that bad habit, his entire life may just consist of thinking. He wasn't a damn philosopher!

He decided now would be a good time to head to the Academy, deciding to do something a little different to exit the building. Zeus had regaled him with tales of how he evaded the military by using the architecture of New York to his advantage, defying gravity by running up sheer vertical walls, ducking in between building to confuse attack helicopters, and at one point, he had even managed to topple an entire building to flatten an entire block of soldiers and tanks.

Unfortunately, the building around Konoha were no where near as impressive, being constructed mainly of wood with asphalt shingles. If he were to try and land on one of those buildings moving at around the speed of an arrow, he had a feeling that the building would be no more. Oh well... he could always just run there.

(Konoha Academy entrance, 6:20 AM)

Iruka Umino was having one of the most pleasant days of his life. He had managed to get a job at the Academy as a teacher, unfortunately, one of the stipulations of his inexperience in the field of teaching was that he needed an assistant. This would have ruffled his feathers somewhat, if said assistant teacher wasn't his best friend, Mizuki. The two had survived the Kyuubi attack, and both lost their parents in the ensuing destruction. Originally he had hated Naruto, much like almost everyone he knew, but then he became a chunin. He had gained more knowledge on sealing, and even learned of a special type of seal, referred to as a storage seal. It was capable of storing objects much larger than the scroll or whatever medium it was drawn on, in such a manner that no extra weight was added to said scroll or medium.

He didn't quite know the specifics behind it, and to frank, neither did the seal artists. They mostly just experimented with different symbols and the like until something useful happened. Most of the time bad things happened, like an explosion, or an implosion. More than a few seal artists had lost their lives doing experiments without taking the proper safety precautions, it was one of the reasons the art of sealing wasn't well known. That and sealing was complicated as hell.

But when he was informed of the specifics behind Naruto's seal, the hate just...vanished. He realized then that he was just doing what everyone else was doing, a vast majority of people did truly hate and/or fear Naruto, but there was a minority that was just conforming, copying others to not be ostracized by society.

Then people started disappearing. And Iruka felt that familiar spark of fear, the possibility that the Kyuubi was attacking Konoha again, through a mortal medium this time, was more than enough to get him worried. Naruto would begin attending Academy today. And Iruka was curious.

Was Naruto the monster everyone called him? The missing persons reports stopped coming after the 5th person. Was it just a case of people vanishing in a way that Naruto was entire uninvolved in? Was he just a child, turned a pariah by a village wracked with grief, and consumed by rage, such so that would demonize a little boy? Hopefully Iruka would find out.

And then the oddest thing occurred. He could hear what sounded like someone was dropping solid stone slabs in a quick rhythm, similar to the footsteps of someone running, and then that noise got louder and louder. Where was it coming from? He soon gained his answer when he saw what appeared to be a young child, dressed rather oddly, in a white hooded jacket, and black bubble vest, sprinting at full tilt towards him, a large cloud of dust being kicked up behind him.

He could barely even utter out a cry of 'Watch out!' before the child suddenly digged his heels into the ground, and skidded to stop a few feet away from him. There were very noticeable tracks in the concrete, leading up to the child's feet.

"W-Wha?"

Iruka spluttered out, entirely shocked at what he just witnessed. The child stood tall now, he was certainly tall for his age, around 3 feet, 8 inches. The child raised his head, revealing his face to Iruka.

'It's Naruto!'

There was no mistaking that face. Deathly pale skin, thin strangely whisker-like marks on his cheeks, and rather cold and unfeeling blue-silver eyes.

And then Naruto made eye contact with him.

Iruka could never explain what that sensation that came over him was. It was like he was suddenly dunked in a pool of ice cold water. It felt similar to Killing Intent, but Iruka could feel nothing from Naruto. It was as if he naturally radiated this chilling aura, without even thinking of it. Thankfully, that frigid feeling dissipated, he had observed Naruto slightly twitch before hand. He apparently had to put conscious effort into suppressing that aura.

"Sorry about that. I was a bit too focused on getting here."

Naruto's voice was unchildishly flat. There was no inflection or tone difference. It was as though an automaton had spoken then.

Swallowing, Iruka opened his mouth to speak.

"Um...It's okay, Naruto... I really should have been paying more attention."

A nervous chuckle ended that sentence.

Naruto's eyes slightly narrowed then, sending a sudden frigid spike up Iruka's spine.

"Yes. You really should."

Iruka felt rather awkward, he had been informed that he would be Naruto's teacher. He was beginning to feel a little reluctant taking this job now.

"Erm... Right. I'm uh...I'm going to be your teacher, so if you want, you could follow me to the classroom."

Naruto's eyes thankfully unnarrowed at that statement. An expression of what may have been curiosity decorated his face.

"Really? Well I hope your a good teacher."

"Well, I am a new teacher here, so..."

Naruto swiftly gained an expression that Iruka couldn't place. Derision?

"Well now. You really got the short straw in class assignments."

Oh. Well at least he was honest that he wouldn't be a star student.

"Right... Well the class is just over there, just follow me."

(Konoha Academy Classroom #101)

The classroom was filled with the noise of excited children. They couldn't wait to become ninjas! To save princesses, and whole kingdoms! To become renowned the world over! All conversation suddenly silenced when the door to the class opened. In walked a young man, roughly 20 years old, he possessed a medium tan, with brown hair pulled back in spiky ponytail, with brown eyes, and a scar that ran across the bridge of his nose. He wore the standard Konoha shinobi uniform, with Hitai-ate on his forehead, a dark green flak jacket, along with the standard ninja sandals. Then came another student. He looked weird, with very pale skin, those whiskers on his cheeks, and those creepy blue eyes. That wasn't even including the way he dressed. A white hoodie, black bubble vest, black jeans, and most oddly of all, closed-toe black shoes. Everyone else was wearing sandals, why wasn't he?

Then the man spoke, identifying himself as Iruka Umino, as well as stating that he would be their teacher for the entirety of their time spent at the Academy. That weird kid had gone off to sit at the back, in one of the corners. Occasionally, other students would glance back at him and whisper to others. Some laughed quietly, others looked at Naruto with slight anger, their parents had told them that this kid was bad and they shouldn't talk to him, their parents told them to so there had to be a reason. They never did manage to find out why though.

And others still would look at Naruto with curiosity. Such as the clan heirs, including the Nara, Akamichi, and rather surprisingly the Uchiha Heiress. She was famed for her aloof nature, and every girl in the school wanted to be more like her. So why was Saiyuri Uchiha so interested in that weird Naruto?

Naruto saw how the class reacted to him and had only one thing to think of in response.

'My time here is gonna suck.'


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5

First day at Academy

'Holy shit, are all kids my age supposed to be this fucking loud?!'

Naruto had a good reason to be upset, the 'curriculum' or maybe the burnt-out remnants of one, was laughably pathetic. They only seemed to teach the very basics of combat. How to throw a kunai or shuriken, a taijutsu style that was marginally better than flailing about in random directions, hoping that one of your telegraphed like a goddamn comet punches or kicks made contact, which a blind person could likely dodge, not that it mattered, considering how a majority of the students were seeking to become ninja to live a life of glory and fame.

'What a bunch of utter morons.' Naruto thought angrily. He had thought he had seen the limits of human stupidity when more lambs offered themselves to the slaughterhouse, with the citizens of Konoha playing the lamb, and himself being an extremely efficient slaughterhouse. But no... it seemed humans were even less intelligent than what he once thought. Somewhat more intelligent than a banana it seemed. And he was supposed to go through twelve years in this miserable excuse for a ninja academy? If only he could somehow be in two places at once. Then he wouldn't have to waste time in this utterly useless place.

But at least not everyone in the class were like the rest of the villagers. Sure, a good majority of the class acted just like their parents, judging him based on hearsay and rumor, but there were others who seemed curious about him, the clan heirs it seemed. Admittedly it made, their parents were likely privy to what lay beneath that seal on his stomach, and likely told their children to give him a chance. Maybe not all humans were that bad.

Of special note was the Uchiha clan heiress, roughly the same age as he was. She possessed the typical Uchiha appearance, black hair, black eyes with no visible pupil, and pale skin. She was wearing a black high-collared t-shirt, white shorts, along with dark blue ninja sandals.

Her clan was currently in conflict with the Hokage, rumors had spread of the Uchiha clan apparently planning a coup. They felt that the village's mistrust of them since the Kyuubi attack was rather nonsensical, and seemed to be planning leaving Konoha, after making sure to raze it to ground beforehand.

Naruto thought the Uchiha were being rather arrogant. More so than usual. A single ninja clan, taking on the rest of the Konoha military by themselves? They would be crushed within a day. They tend to rely on that damn pink-eye far too much, to the point that it was a key part of their personal taijutsu style.

But Saiyuri seemed different... she wasn't as convinced that if the tensions were to escalate to violence, that the clan would stand a chance. Her mother seemed to share that sentiment.

Another clan heir that sparked his own curiosity was Shikamaru Nara, he resembled his father heavily. The only real difference being his paler complexion. Black hair drawn back in a very spiky ponytail, narrow brown eyes that seemed permanently half-lidded. It seemed the Nara clan's laziness had passed down to it's heir. His ears were pierced with silver loop earrings. He wore a long-sleeved gray shirt with the Nara clan's symbol on it's front. Khaki shorts, and dark blue ninja sandals.

Next to him was a rather overweight child, he possessed a square-shaped face, brown spiky hair, and brown eyes. He wore a zip-up long-sleeved shirt, with a light green upper section covering the shoulders, and dark green covering the rest of the chest. Black shorts, and black ninja sandals made up his lower attire was black shorts along with black ninja sandals. He had a slight tan, and spiral marks adorned his cheeks. He seemed to be friends with Shikamaru. It made sense, since the Nara, Akimichi, and Yamanaka clans had been united practically since Konoha's founding.

Another clan heir, the Inuzuka. They were a clan renowned for their exceptional tracking skills, and their ninken partners. Specially trained dogs that were apparently capable of communicating with humans. He wore a tan long-sleeved turtleneck shirt, with dark brown padding on the elbows. Dark gray shorts and like everyone else in the classroom besides him, ninja sandals. Specifically dark blue. Dark brown spiky hair that looked as though it had never been combed ever adorned the top of his head. His eyes were slit, somewhat like a dog. And red Inuzuka clan markings decorated his cheeks. There was also a small white puppy in his hands. His ninken it seemed.

He looked towards the next clan heiress. A Yamanaka. They were unmistakable, with their pale blonde hair, She had short hair, roughly shoulder length. Two blue barrettes kept her bangs from falling in front of her eyes. Her eyes were a light blue with no visible pupil. A light orange blouse, with black stripes running up the arms. She wore a pair of silver necklaces. Off-white shorts with black ninja sandals. Her name was Ino, daughter of the current head of the Konoha Intelligence department, Inoichi Yamanaka.

There were more notable students, a slightly older girl with two buns in her hair. A boy roughly the same age as the girl with extremely thick eyebrows, and what appeared to be a bowl cut hairstyle combined with a braid that reached down to his lower back. Two Hyuugas, one the clan heiress, and another who was currently unknown. A branch member perhaps? Then there was the Aburame clan heir, wearing the typical attire, thick trench coat with a collar high enough to conceal his face, along with dark sunglasses concealing his eyes. And finally a girl who was obviously a civilian, with bright pink hair, green eyes. She was sitting next to Ino, the two whispering to each other. Not that he cared what they said.

Eventually the lecture ended, and they were dismissed.

'Good Kami above, that took forever, nice to finally get back on track.'

_'Huh? Oh sorry... the lecture was so boring I must have nodded off."_

'I was feeling rather tempted to just copy that Nara kid and fall asleep too.'

_'I heard you mention how you wish you could be in two places at once, and I think I have a solution.'_

Naruto raised an eyebrow.

'Oh? What great ideas do you have oh mighty Zeus?'

He could feel Zeus' irritation.

_'Stop snarking. Get back to your apartment, your gonna need privacy for this.'_

'Alright.' He was more than a little bit curious what Zeus had in mind.

(Naruto's Apartment)

'Okay... I'm here.'

_'Okay, have you ever heard of the Kage Bunshin?'_

'I've eaten people who have. Does that count?'

_'Yep. You know the basics behind it right?'_

Naruto nodded.

'Yes. It's a solid clone, capable of attacking and even taking a hit or two before dispelling.'

He could feel Zeus smirk then.

_'We're going to recreate it. But with biomass instead of chakra._

Naruto tilted his head in confusion.

'And how would we do that? Do you mean to say I can somehow physically split myself into two?'

A few moments of silence.

'WHY THE HELL DIDN'T YOU TELL ME THE MOMENT IRUKA STARTED LECTURING?! I WAS BEGINNING TO THINK I'D HAVE TO DEAL WITH THAT FOR TWELVE FUCKING YEARS!'

_'Ow! Stop shouting dammit! I said the lecture bored me to the point of falling asleep, so how was I going to tell you that!?'_

Naruto felt somewhat embarrassed at that, he had forgotten how the lecture had affected Zeus.

'Right sorry.'

He felt Zeus glare lightly at him from within, before he continued with the original point.

_'Anyway, before Mount Naruto exploded, I was going to explain how to do it. And what you can do with it.'_

'Okay... do you mind elaborating?'

_'Okay, to split yourself, all you need is think of splitting in half._

Naruto eye's widened.

'That's it?'

_'Yep. In theory at least.'_

'Great, theory. Nothing to concerned about.'

_'Oh shut up. Anyway you might be able to have me return to the real world by splitting. All I need to do is inhabit a blank bio-clone.'_

'Well that would be be useful as hell. Okay... here goes.'

Naruto though of splitting, and it happened, it was an interesting experience, feeling your mind and soul shift to one side of your body. He had stretched down the middle until he was fully in half. Both halves of Naruto proceeded to regain the lost side of their body. And then they looked at each other.

"Well that was weird."

"That's an understatement."

Naruto was surprised to hear the bio-clone speak back.

"Wait you can think for yourself?"

The clone took on a confused expression.

"Apparently. Hey, shouldn't you make a body for Zeus now?"

Naruto nodded.

"Sure. Time to go through with this song and dance again."

Another clone came into existence, but only remained so, until it suddenly dissolved into a black and red puddle. Said puddle started moving, making limbs, a face, and eventually clothing until Zeus was in front of him.

"Oh, man that felt funky."

Naruto stifled a chuckle.

"Funky?"

Zeus blinked.

"It's from a movie, you'd have to see it to understand."

"Right. Sounds like a very imaginative movie."

"You might want to order that clone to attend the Academy in your place."

Said clone looked at the both of them with a betrayed expression.

"Why me?!"

Naruto looked back at the clone.

"Because that's what you were made for."

The clone tried to argue further but eventually gave up. 'Of course the first clone would get the crap assignments.' It snarked to itself.

"Okay, just be ready tomorrow. I don't want hear any complaining from you."

The clone nodded and decided to spend it's free time sleeping on the couch.

Naruto looked back towards Zeus.

"So now what?"

Zeus smirked. That smirk spelled doom for Naruto.

"Now... I train you."

Zeus chuckled evilly to himself. Naruto had a feeling that this 'training' could be easily mistaken for torture.

"Okay...sure. Train in what?"

Zeus stopped chuckling, and looked at Naruto seriously.

"It's time you learn how to make your body a weapon. Believe me, once we're done, you'll probably be able to take on at least fifty Anbu at once."

At that Naruto smirked in a manner similar to Zeus had earlier.

"That strength will definitely be worth whatever pain this training is going to put me through."

"Good. At least your willing. One of those shinobi you consumed had learned of a training ground called, 'The Forest of Death' apparently it's the most dangerous forest in Konoha, and used during chunin exams to weed out the weak."

Naruto couldn't resist the opportunity to snark further.

"Forest of Death? I have a feeling it's popular as a tourist spot."

Zeus looked annoyed.

"Quit snarking already. Come on, let's head there now."

(Training Ground #44)

Naruto was already beginning to like this place. The overall atmosphere would be dark, foreboding, and frightening to the average human, not even Jonin dared to enter this forest. To Naruto however, it may as well have been paradise. He heard tales of the giant predators that resided here, from giant centipedes to colossal tigers, and the canopy above was the perfect way to spy on prey from above.

Zeus noticed Naruto's excitement.

"Okay why are you practically bouncing on your heels?"

Naruto turned to Zeus and grinned.

"I like this place _a lot_. So many predators. If what you told me on the way over here was true, This smorgasbord will mean lots of new powers for me to use."

Zeus was already certain of this, but this only kept hammering nails in that coffin. Naruto was definitely less than sane. And this was coming from a sentient virus with a body count of over two thousand.

"Right...Well let's enter. There's a barbed wire fence blocking it, but we can just jump over it. Besides, I think this forest might help me get the hang of my own powers again."

And with that, the hooded duo leaped over the fence.


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter 6

The snake's victims

Naruto and Zeus had been in the Forest of Death for maybe five minutes and they had already been attacked by a roving group of giant spiders. Needless to say, the spiders were currently blue stains on the ground. Naruto had observed Zeus turn his hands into claws. The claws themselves seemed to to have the overall luster, texture and numerous other properties of steel. Zeus' arms had changed from human to a black, gnarled, and chitinous form. Zeus also seemed to lose a digit, as he only had four claws on either hand.

Naruto had asked about this, how Zeus acquired the claws, and what he was told was a rather interesting story.

Apparently, back when Zeus was in New York City, he had done a rather major blunder and released someone named Elizabeth Greene, she was described as being a hollow vessel for the predecessor to the Blacklight virus, called Redlight. Also she was apparently Zeus' mother.

"Wait what? That creepy as hell girl was your mom?" Naruto asked, incredulously.

Zeus seemed to shift uncomfortably, before he spoke up.

"It's...complicated. I was descended from a variant strain she had produced, so in a way...yeah I...uh...was her child."

Naruto blinked.

"And you were saying my childhood was fucked up. So you ate her right?"

Zeus nodded.

"Yes. I'd rather not repeat that experience. Her memories were jumbled, incomprehensible. And I very nearly took over the Infected, her experience as their leader kinda messed with my mind a little."

Naruto was about to continue the conversation, when he felt what seemed to a large collection of lost human souls further into the forest.

"Whoa. Big group of spirits over there. I count at least fifty of them."

Zeus shuddered then.

"Don't tell me your going to investigate. I can't really attack ghosts like you can. Lacking a soul and all that."

Naruto couldn't quite stifle his chuckle.

"Your afraid of ghosts."

Zeus seemed to become somewhat embarrassed.

"What? N-No. It's just...ghosts can't be killed cause their already dead. And since I can't just inhale them like you can, it's more than a little unnerving for me."

The chuckle soon became outright laughter, as Naruto headed off towards the lost souls.

Zeus followed Naruto reluctantly.

"Oh this is going to suck."

(Decrepit bunker, Forest of Death)

Naruto came to what appeared to be the entrance to an underground bunker, it was well camouflaged, with the entrance within a small sinkhole. He dropped down, and immediately could hear the faint moans of the dead within.

"This should be interesting." Naruto said to himself. He grasped the wheel on the blast door, and twisted. The door came loose, and he pushed it open. The smell of rotting flesh and human waste permeated the air. There was a stairway further down, but It seemed the bunker's interior lights had burned out. He activated his Thermal Vision and headed down.

It was very immediate what this place once was, with what appeared to be test tubes, beakers, and autopsy tables with what may have been blood. Thermal Vision didn't allow him to see true colors, but it was a minor inconvenience. To his left, there was another blast door, much more reinforced than the entrance door, the sound of footsteps behind him didn't alert him. It was Zeus. Naruto spoke.

"Former laboratory. The souls all seem to be trapped behind that door."

Zeus clenched his fists.

"Then let's open it up."

Zeus proceeded to grab the blast door, his fingers digging into the solid steel. Once he had a good grip, he tore the door right off it's hinges, then tossed the now useless blast door to the ground with a very loud thud.

Naruto entered first, and was intrigued at what he saw.

Cylindrical glass tubes, big enough to house a person lined the walls. There were multiple hoses within, as well as what appeared to be a respiratory mask. Some were filled with a fluid, whether it was water or something else couldn't be determined. Some of the tubes housed...things. They bore only the scarcest resemblance of humanity. With deformed limbs and faces, some seemed to possess extra limbs, or in one peculiar tube, it seemed that two people had been fused together somehow, their faces were locked in an expression of horror and agony.

Further down still, he caught his first glimpse of a spirit. It seemed identical to the two-faced person in the tube. Then it talked.

It's voice had a whispery echo, and seemed to vary between a feminine voice and a masculine voice.

"_Orochimaru did this. He made us suffer."_

Naruto raised an eyebrow, as Zeus stiffened behind him.

"Orochimaru of the Sannin you mean?"

Both of the spirit's heads nodded.

"_Yes. We are trapped here. Orochimaru has left a seal that prevents all of us from moving on. Some of us have already lost ourselves. They will likely attack you."_

Naruto waved off the spirit's concern.

"Relax, I can deal with a few vengeful ghosts."

The spirit seemed satisfied at that.

"_We implore you. Erase them. The void of nonexistence is better than this cruel fate."_

Naruto nodded gravely.

"I'll destroy any of you who have lost it."

The spirit nodded once more.

"_Before you go...answer this question."_

The spirit narrowed it's two pairs of eyes.

"_Your soul...it feels so...dark and cold. What happened to you?"_

Naruto closed his eyes and sighed.

"I saw the worst humanity had to offer. I fought monsters, so it was only fitting I became one as well."

The spirit seemed to pity him.

"_A child like you shouldn't have such a dark soul. For your own sake, find a light and cling to it. Unless you to become like us."_

The spirit faded away.

Zeus relaxed. And Naruto felt the urge to prod at him, but suppressed it. He had a job to do anyway.

This bunker would do good as a residence. Deep in the Forest of Death, he highly doubted anyone would go looking for him here. The expansive bunker would definitely be an upgrade from that dingy apartment at the very least.

"Now where's that seal?"

The spirit did not inform him of it's location. It was likely it didn't know. But he had detected a twisted presence further down the bunker. If Orochimaru was this heartless mad scientist, that was likely what his chakra felt like. There was another stairwell leading down. After descending it, he came across another spirit.

It bore the appearance of a young boy, similar in age to himself. Long shoulder length blond hair. He couldn't make out any details about his face. The spirit was looking at the ground, it's hair covering it's face.

Naruto decided to try and sneak past the spirit. Most ghosts had difficulty differentiating him from other lost souls, and if he did this right, he could get past without any difficulty.

But the plan failed before it even began as the spirit rasped out a sentence.

"_Who...are...you...?"_

Naruto looked at the spirit resolutely.

"Not your savior. I just want this bunker. I'll destroy the seal keeping you here, but not out of any good will."

The spirit seemed to laugh quietly at that.

"_No...Why would you? Only one human has ever shown compassion towards you. But nevertheless, I'll help you. I've been trapped here for as long as I can remember. I want to be free."_

The spirit raised it's head at that, revealing it's face. It had a fair complexion. Hazel eye. The right eye was missing, along with a lot of flesh. He could see the entirety of the internal structure of the orbit. The wound was bleeding as well. But the drops of blood vanished before they could make contact with the ground.

Naruto wasn't fazed at the boy's face, and neither was Zeus. This seemed to take the spirit aback.

"_I had expected you to cringe in disgust."_

Naruto shrugged.

"I've seen and done a lot worse."

The spirit seemed to accept that.

"_My name is Dio."_

Naruto nodded.

"Naruto Uzumaki."

The spirit seemed to reminiscence at that.

"_Uzumaki...why does that name seem so familiar? No matter. My past life is a haze, I can scarcely remember it. I know where the seal is. Follow me."_

__The newly named Dio floated off down the hall, with Naruto and Zeus in hot pursuit.

They came to a new series of blast doors. Naruto could feel more spirits on the other side, they felt off though.

'Those must be the hostile spirits then'

Dio spoke.

"_This door keeps the more violent of us locked away, and they guard the seal. We'll need to destroy them."_

Naruto took on a combat stance.

"I can handle myself. Not the first time I've dealt with vengeful spirits. Just let me take care of it."

He spun, and kicked the right door. It flew off it's hinges and embedded itself in the opposite wall. He could see a strange seal on the leftmost wall, it glowed a bright purple. It consisted of a circle, broken in three sections, along with three tomoes in the circle.

There were multiple spirits hobbling around, at least 6 of them. All were deformed in some way. One had it's mouth gone, with a throbbing growth in place of it, teeth were jutting out in random directions. Another seemed to be have been skinned alive, he could very clearly see exposed muscle, and the joints were visible as well. Yet another may or may not have been female, he couldn't properly tell since where it seemed to possess an overall feminine figure, with full hips, a narrow waist. The chest was flat or to be more specific, there wasn't really a chest. All the flesh seemed to have been stripped away. Leaving the ribcage along the organs all visible within.

He didn't have time to observe anymore of the spirits since one leapt at him, a piercing shriek erupting from it's lips. It never got a chance to try and attack, since a strange black smoke was ejected from Naruto's open palms, and latched onto the spirit. It gave one last cry before it was suddenly torn in half, and the smoke returned to Naruto's palms. He ducked a wild swing at his head before latching onto the attacking spirit's arms, and tearing it off. The spiritual arm was swiftly engulfed by Naruto, and the screaming spirit was finished off by him tearing it's head off.

Dio seemed to spring into action, flying towards the feminine spirit and punching it square in the chest. His fist continued through to emerge from the hostile spirit's back. The spirit went limp, before suddenly bursting into flames and burning away to nothing. Dio was blindsided by the spirit with no skin, and was struggling against it. Naruto came to his rescue and crushed the skinned spirit's head between his palms.

'Two more left.'

The two surviving spirits never got a chance to attack as the two-faced spirit returned, placing it's hands on the two spirit's heads. They combusted away.

Naruto relaxed.

"Well that was exciting. Nice moves Dio."

The blond spirit nodded.

Zeus, who hadn't involved himself in the skirmish on account of being effectively useless spoke up then.

"That was a little hairy. I really need to find out how to attack spirits, if this becomes a regular thing..."

Naruto waved off his concerns.

"Nah. Most spirits usually just sit there, and whine. It gets annoying, sure. But eventually most spirits usually just move on."

The two-faced spirit spoke then.

"_There is the seal that keeps us bound here. I do not know how to destroy it, but I believe the power of Naruto's soul may overload it."_

Naruto blinked.

"Wait, so you want me to risk my very soul to destroy this thing?"

The two-faced spirit nodded.

"_It may be the only option we have. Please, we beg of you. Free us!"_

Naruto had to think this through. He didn't care about these souls. Why should he risk his soul for their sake?

Zeus noticed Naruto's apprehension.

"Naruto I think you should you do it."

Naruto turned to Zeus, eyebrow raised.

Zeus explained.

"Think about it Naruto. Your soul can consume other souls. I'm pretty certain it's is very powerful now. You shouldn't be at any risk, and once you free these souls, the bunker's yours. This would be a very good place to train in secret."

Naruto had to agree with that logic.

"Okay...so how do I overload this seal?"

The two-faced spirit looked at Naruto, then the seal.

"_You will have to separate your soul from your body to be able to destroy this seal. I can help in that regard, and I'll stay a while to help your soul return to your body."_

Naruto nodded.

"Right then. Do the honors."

The two-faced spirit reached into Naruto's chest, and it passed through into the center. Naruto gave a slight pained grunt before suddenly collapsing, with the spirit's hand pulling back, grasping onto what appeared to be Naruto's soul.

His soul certainly didn't appear human. Naruto seemed to be made of a black smoke, with particularly thick areas in the smoke seeming to resemble arms, legs, and digits. His face was smooth and featureless, The soul had the size and overall form of an adult male human, and was completely naked. There were no visible genitalia, and it possessed a very lean body. Naruto's head twitched somewhat, before he seemed to grasp his new form. He looked back at the two-faced spirit, and noticed it's eyes were wide open.

"_**What's wrong?" **_His voice sounded roughly like an adult's now. It was deep, and smooth. Like the spirits his voice was followed by a whispery echo, but it was somewhat louder than the spirit's own, (Think Sylar from Heroes, it's what he'll sound like when he graduates too.)

The two-faced spirit was knocked out of it's awe before looking at Naruto with a degree of sadness.

"_What happened to you Naruto? What was it that twisted your soul so?"_

Naruto seemed to sigh. As he no longer possessed a mouth, it was impossible to determine whether or not he had.

"_**Like I said...I experience the worst humanity had to offer."**_

Naruto floated over to the seal. He examined it, looking for any vulnerabilities he could exploit. There was one. It seemed Orochimaru had made a writing error, it was minor, but meant that a sufficiently powerful spiritual entity could destroy the seal with a proper applied usage of spiritual power. He placed a hand over the weakness, and focused. The smoke that composed his soul suddenly flooded one of the tomoes. Then returned to Naruto. The seal glowed brighter and brighter until the light would have blinded anyone in the room. Then it died. The seal was gone now. A scorch mark on the wall was all that remained.

The two-faced spirit, and Dio were suddenly surrounded by a bright white light, Zeus looked away from the blinding light, but Naruto wasn't fazed. He could see the two-faced spirit suddenly split apart, a man and a woman. He couldn't make out any features. Dio meanwhile, had the empty eye socket healed, and now possessed a pair of eyes. The spirits looked at him, smiled, and vanished. The light disappeared as well.

Zeus looked around, unsure.

"Um...are all the spirits gone now?"

Naruto nodded.

"_**Yes. I can't feel anymore spirits. But now I have to figure out how to return to my body."**_

Zeus shrugged.

"I guess you could just, I don't know, line up with your body on the floor?"

"_**That could work."**_

He proceeded to float parallel to the floor, and lined up the limbs of his soul with the limbs of his body. And he was returned to it.

"Well that was an interesting experience."

Now that whole ordeal was over, he now had a new place to call home. Overall it was a good day.


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter 7

Getting stronger

It had been two years since Naruto found, and took possession of, an underground laboratory formerly owned and operated by Orochimaru of the Sannin. He had disposed of the corpses littering the place, repaired the lighting,(Discovering the bunker was powered by a system that mimicked photosynthesis, something that Naruto found nothing short of fascinating) and cleaned the bunker entirely. All the bloodstains and bio hazardous materials like used scalpels and syringes were cleaned, and disposed of respectively.

The bunker's interior were a shiny stainless steel, with lights that were built into the walls and ceiling. The autopsy tables were spotless and ready for any future use. The glass tubes used for storing and observing test subjects were filled with water and ready to be occupied. If Naruto ever wished to experiment with the Blacklight virus on either the surrounding wildlife, or by kidnapping Konoha residents, he had a perfect place to perform the experiments.

Zeus had taught Naruto everything he had accomplished with the Blacklight virus' capabilities. Including shape-shifting, turning his arms and legs into weapons, as well as how to perfectly impersonate a person. As Zeus had two weeks and a half to become as powerful as he was before he was brought into Naruto's world, Naruto had more time to refine his abilities.

Zeus had told him to be imaginative, and put his own spin on the weapons Naruto could make. For example, Naruto's claws were much longer than Zeus' and very thin, almost like needles. The claws reached down to Naruto's ankles, providing him the range of the average sword. His blade was similar to Zeus' but still had its key differences. The blade itself was longer, scraping against the ground if Naruto fully extended it towards the floor. The small spike that emerged from where Zeus' elbow would be was instead a smaller blade for Naruto, and possessed serrated edges.

Naruto's Whipfist was also much different from Zeus'. The blades on the end of it were changed from the original design of two blades with two barbs that faced towards Zeus, by instead possessing a single blade on it's end with no barbs. The tendril the blade was attached also differed from the original design, by being bladed as well, said blades emerging from vertebrae like growths on the tendril.

Naruto thought the Hammerfists would be useless when most of his enemies would be shinobi. Much faster and smaller than the tanks it was originally meant to combat. So Naruto instead replaced with tendrils that could emerge from anywhere on his body, with a variety of uses, from allowing him to manipulate or grab more than two objects, from being used as an extension to the Whipfist.

Naruto had on occasion returned to his apartment, where his bio-clone resided, and after hearing it whine about how it had to hear the same lecture over and over, it gave him info on what the students were learning, as well as what the more interesting students, the clan heirs, were doing.

Apparently, the Akimichi and Nara heirs, were good friends. Not surprising. But the Yamanaka heiress wasn't on good terms with them. It had to do with the Nara's laziness, and the Akimichi's eating habits. The Hyuuga heiress was timid and shy, barely capable of finishing a sentence without stuttering at least once. The Uchiha heiress was surprisingly friendly, attempting to extend a friendly hand towards the bio-clone (and by proxy him). It definitely was of note. Saiyuri's mother was also friendly towards him, but her expression was odd. It was like she was remembering someone else. He'd have to find out who later. The Inuzuka heir was brash and loud, much like the majority of his clan, and challenged clone-Naruto to numerous duels that always ended with the Inuzuka being beaten into the ground. But Kiba seemed a good sport about it, always declaring that would get stronger to one day surpass Naruto. It was an amusing thought, but still was a pleasant surprise to see another friendly face.

Then there was the issue of the pink-haired annoyance. Her name was Sakura Haruno and seemed book smart but was utterly incompetent in combat. More concerned with her appearance, and boys. The clone was very much tempted to clean the human gene pool somewhat by killing her, consuming her would likely give him a very bad case of indigestion. But the clone managed to suppress that particular urge. There wasn't much more of note.

He was heading back towards the Forest of Death when the piercing sound of the dying sounded off in the distance, it's origin around the Uchiha District.

Naruto frowned. What was going on? He swiftly changed his path, and began sprinting with all haste towards the Uchiha District.

(Uchiha District, Konoha)

There was blood and corpses strewn about the street and the courtyard in front of the Uchiha Clan Complex. Naruto landed in the center of the courtyard and immediately unleashed his Claws. Whoever had infiltrated and made a mockery of the Uchiha Clan was very strong. He needed to be careful. He entered through the doorway, the door itself a pile of ash.

More bodies were within. The lethal wound seemed to be from a short blade, perhaps belonging to a ninjato or chokuto. There was a definite trail to follow. The corpses all seemed to be leading to where the Uchiha clan head and his wife resided. If the killer was already there...He made all haste to the master bedroom.

(Academy entrance, five minutes before)

Saiyuri Uchiha was confused. Normally her mother would come to pick her up and she would follow her mother home. She wasn't here, and Academy had ended ten minutes ago. What was going on? She knew the way home, and decided to head there herself. But the first thing she saw upon entering the street that led home was...bodies in the street.

She very carefully kneeled over one, and after a degree of hesitance, moved the corpse around so she could see it's face. Upon seeing the face, she gasped in horror, and let go of the corpse. The body of was of Teyaki Uchiha, the proprietor of Uchiha Senbei. She had a good relationship with him, she would always come to Uchiha Senbei the moment she came home from Academy. He was like an uncle to her and her brother Itachi. Who killed him? And what of the rest of her clan? She sprinted towards her clan complex as fast as she could, praying all the while that everyone was safe.

There were even more bodies. They were everywhere. There was so much blood... Saiyuri withheld the bile rising in her throat, and entered the clan building. More bodies. What happened to her parents? A surge of fear struck her. What if they had been killed as well? She ran towards her parent's bedroom, ignoring the dead bodies and the blood. She had to see her parents!

She stopped in the doorway. Petrified. The killer was visible now. It was her brother Itachi. He was gripping onto a blood stained Anbu issue ninjato. He had his blade reared back, her parents were on their knees, facing her. Their eye's widened when they saw her. Her father was the first to die, the ninjato slicing through his neck cleanly. Her mother was next. But she was saved by someone she had never expected to appear.

'Naruto?'

Naruto had appeared quite literally out of nowhere, having dropped from one of the rafters in the ceiling. His arms had been replaced by what could only be described as claws, and those same claws had blocked the ninjato set to end her mother's life. A quick swipe was ducked by Itachi, but the front kick had impacted squarely into his stomach. His eye's, the Sharingan within them, widened in pain, and a quick cry of pain issued from his mouth, before he was suddenly propelled forward, impacting and breaking through the wooden wall, landing somewhere out in the backyard.

(Naruto's POV)

Naruto turned to look at Mikoto, she was in a state of shock, and looked up at him. She mouthed out 'thank you' then looking towards Saiyuri. She immediately ran to her mother, being caught in her arms, sobs soon filled the room as Saiyuri was no longer capable of withholding her tears. Naruto looked at the scene for a few moments, before exiting through the new hole in the wall, intent on pursuing Itachi.

Itachi was struggling to get up when Naruto entered the backyard. He spoke.

"Naruto...what are you doing here?"

Naruto narrowed his eyes.

"I was intrigued as to why people were screaming over here. I didn't expect you to be killing off your clan. I thought you were a pacifist."

Itachi didn't show any reaction. Or at least he thought he did. No human was capable of fully suppressing their body language. Itachi was lying. Naruto didn't need to mention that to Itachi however.

"I never cared about my clan. I only ever cared about power. This was just a test Naruto."

Naruto raised an eyebrow.

"A test you say? Well now. You certainly had everyone fooled. Even me. But makes you think you'll escape here alive?"

Itachi didn't show any reaction, like before.

"This."

The Sharingan changed in his eyes, becoming a vaguely shuriken-like pinwheel with three individual 'blades'. Then he made eye contact with Naruto. And he felt his consciousness fade away.

"**Tsukiyomi."**

(Tsukiyomi World)

When Naruto awoke, he was bound to what appeared to be a cross, and the world around him was only in shades of black and red. A crimson moon hung in the sky, casting blood red light throughout this strange land. He looked down at himself and noticed he appeared in an inverted gray scale. Itachi's voice was suddenly all around him.

"I am sorry Naruto. You have left me no choice in this."

Itachi materialized in front of him.

Naruto was somewhat curious. He had nothing to fear. Whatever this illusion could dish out, he had already experienced far worse through the memories of those he consumed.

"Oh? You actually sound regretful. I wonder why? What are you going to do?"

Itachi frowned, confused at how Naruto was so calm.

"This is the world of Tsukiyomi. A world that I have complete control over. You will be in here for 72 hours, in the real world only three seconds will have passed."

Itachi stopped frowning, and a truly remorseful expression took hold on his face.

"You should never have intervened Naruto. Just know that I take no enjoyment in this."

Swords suddenly appeared, completely surrounding Naruto.

His reaction took Itachi completely aback. An insane grin, almost to an inhuman degree, split his face. His blue-silver eyes glowed through the dark atmosphere, striking dread in Itachi's heart.

"Oh please!"

He suddenly screamed, anything resembling sanity entirely gone from his voice.

"What more could you possibly do to me Itachi? None of the torture you put me through would even tickle! Do your worst!"

Itachi's face lost the remorse, and swiftly became emotionless once more.

"We'll see."

The swords all impaled Naruto at the same time.

(Uchiha Clan House, Konoha)

Saiyuri had followed Naruto to the backyard, ignoring the pleading of her mother. Itachi was there, staring into Naruto eyes, completely motionless. Naruto was as still as a statue as well. Less than three seconds passed before the two began moving once more, Itachi swiftly placing a hand over his left eye, blood streaming from it, resembling tears. Naruto momentarily swayed, before massaging his forehead with his claws, and entering a combat stance.

Itachi was completely shocked. Naruto was entirely immune to the torture he had put through. Not even a slight whimper. Just those terrifying blue-silver eyes staring at him unblinking.

"What the hell are you?"

Itachi gasped out. The use of Tsukiyomi had put a major strain on his reserves. He could barely see in front of him.

The same damn grin appeared on Naruto's face.

"I told you..."

Naruto said in a singsong voice.

"Nothing you could imagine would even make me flinch."

Itachi grimly nodded at that. It seemed Naruto possessed an inhumanly pain tolerance, or he simply couldn't sense pain at all. Troublesome.

"I see that now. Regardless, you are a threat now because of that."

Naruto barked out a laugh.

"Yeah, Cause you can definitely fight in that condition."

Itachi cringed at that. He highly doubted he would stand a chance against Naruto. Those claws of his looked very deadly.

"Itachi...What happened? I was expecting you a few minutes ago."

A sudden new voice caused Naruto to whip his head to the right. There was a man there. With a strange orange mask with decorative black flames painted on it. It only possessed one eye hole. Long, spiky black hair, with jaw-length bangs. He was wearing a black cloak, as well as a black bodysuit underneath. Dark gray leather gloves covered his hands, and his outfit was completed with black pants and black ninja sandals.

Naruto felt an immeasurable rage when he looked at this masked man, and he had no idea why. Said masked man seemed to notice Naruto's stare.

"Ah. That's why. The Uzumaki child. I assume he was giving you difficulty then."

Itachi lightly nodded.

Naruto frowned. Who was this man? Why did he feel so angry just by looking at him? He curbed his rage and spoke.

"Who in the hell are you?"

The masked man chuckled. It greatly annoyed Naruto.

"Oh you needn't worry about that Naruto."

Naruto's eyes widened. This masked fucker knew his name? Who the hell was he!?

The masked man stopped laughing and moved to Itachi's side, placing a hand on his shoulder.

"We'll be leaving now."

Naruto reared back, and leapt forward, claws at the ready to slice through the two men.

"Like hell you will!"

His strike never connected, as the two men suddenly vanished in a swirling vortex.

Naruto scarcely managed to stop himself from face planting, and looked back at where Itachi and the masked man once were. An expression of rage twisted his features.

"Goddammit! Son of a bitch!"

(A few hours later)

The Hokage as well as a team of Anbu, and every available Jonin had arrived to the Uchiha District. They were shocked at how the clan had been decimated, and even more shocked to learn that Naruto had helped prevent the deaths of two clan members.

Mikoto and her daughter Saiyuri were rushed to the hospital, to treat wounds more damaging than any cut or bruise. They were assigned a Yamanaka for psychotherapy, and would attend weekly sessions.

Naruto meanwhile was off to the side of all the action. Watching as body bags were hauled away on stretchers, to the Konoha Morgue. The Hokage walked up to him, a smile on his wrinkled face.

"Naruto, I can't thank you enough for helping those two. You did a very good thing today."

Naruto shrugged off his praise.

"It's fine. Saiyuri is the closest thing I have to a friend to be honest."

In truth, Naruto didn't know why he protected her or her mother. He only ever had a few passing conversations with Saiyuri personally, with the bio-clone having spent more time with her. Granted, the memories the bio-clone had were easily passed to him, but nothing there really explained why he went out of his way to save her life.

Was it because she was one of the few friendly faces he knew? Perhaps. Naruto would have to think these questions over later. A Yamanaka was asking him to fill out a report about the newly coined 'Uchiha Massacre'.

He could see why Old Man Hokage hated paperwork so much.


	8. Chapter 8

Chapter 8

Graduation

Six years had passed since the Uchiha Massacre. Saiyuri and Mikoto had been successfully treated, nipping any instabilities in the bud. On occasion Saiyuri would have nightmares, but they had been occurring with less and less frequency over the years. The growing friendship with Naruto was a key component in her recovery. The two had grown close after Naruto helped to prevent Mikoto's death, and Naruto could quite easily say that he had actually made a true friend in her.

The bio-clone was no longer needed. And Naruto wanted to attend Graduation personally anyway. Zeus shouting at him about it totally had nothing to do with it.

It was certainly a surreal experience. Naruto had never thought he would ever grow close to any human ever. His nature, and the truth of what he was had him thinking that he would always be feared and ostracized by humanity, who were incapable of truly understanding him. Those thoughts were quickly shattered by Saiyuri. The two were almost never seen too far apart in Academy following the Massacre, with Saiyuri, while still somewhat somber over the incident, was very talkative around Naruto.

It was a comical sight to be honest. The Uchiha Heiress, a member of a clan renowned for their stoic and usually arrogant demeanor, was this outgoing, friendly young woman. While her companion meanwhile couldn't differ more in personality, with his quiet, reclusive self, and a tendency to point out and snark about numerous flaws in people he disliked.

Most just couldn't understand how these two were so friendly without clashing with one another. Naruto was of that same sentiment, but wasn't complaining.

Naruto had grown(or at least changed his appearance to appear to grow) well. He was currently 16 years old and was very tall for his age, easily towering over most of the adult populace in Konoha, with his 6 foot,3 inch frame. His body was well-built, while still being deceptively lean. His clothing hadn't changed, only adjusted to fit his now much larger body. He cut a rather imposing figure, with his height, wardrobe, and overall appearance more than enough to make even hardened Jonin slightly uncomfortable around him.

Saiyuri meanwhile had grown into a rather beautiful young woman, With lustrous raven hair tied back into a pony that reached to her mid-back. She was wearing a blue high collared vest, with short white sleeves. A pair of white shorts and dark blue ninja sandals. A brown sash went across her waist, with a pouch for kunai, shuriken, and chakra and blood pills as well. She took the notion of becoming a kunoichi of Konoha seriously.

The rest of the class had grown as well, excluding Sakura, of course. (They're all wearing their Pre-Shippuden outfits, along with their hair styles.)

Today was the day the class would graduate, and there was an air of excitement. The long road to gain their hitai-ate and officially become ninjas of Konoha had finally come to an end. Naruto was excited as well, he didn't show it obviously, and it wasn't the idea of becoming a shinobi that was the cause of his giddiness either. The Hokage would finally reveal everything about his past. And yet there was still some uncertainty as well. He was beginning to remember some of his earliest memories now. Quick flashes of a red-haired woman (His mother?) and the Yondaime. (Something that still rubbed Naruto the wrong way) He still couldn't access the very first memories however. And Naruto wasn't certain he really wanted to. A sense of dread always came over him, even when he was just looking at those damn tunnels. He could swear he saw blood covering the walls of those tunnels as well, not something that really made Naruto ready and raring to find out what those memories were.

On a brighter note, The old apartment that the Hokage had given to him was now entirely condemned. And set to be deconstructed later on in the year. His new residence, the bunker in the Forest of Death was working swimmingly. He would often capture any wildlife that strayed too far, and perform experiments on them, eerily similar to the bunker's former owner. Naruto wasn't too concerned however. He always ensured that the animals were properly sedated, and in the event they were to be consumed by the virus, they wouldn't feel a thing.

But more interesting, was how some of the animals would actually respond well to infection. They became stronger, smarter, and most peculiar of all, they seemed to look to him as a leader of sorts. Was he somehow gaining his own infected army? It would definitely be useful. If the shit hit the fan, those infected animals would certainly be of use if only to distract Konoha shinobi, while he made a swift retreat.

The animals had become something similar to what Zeus had encountered in Manhattan, while being much more evolved. A pack of wild dogs would become something similar to the Hunters, but much more powerful and more intelligent. Naruto termed these Evolved Hunters, Brawlers.

Carnivorous giant earthworms (The Forest of Death certainly deserved it's name) became similar to Hydras, but larger, and as a result stronger as well. They weren't too smart, but made up for it with sheer resilience and terror factor. Seeing a building sized _worm_ start eating your comrades would definitely turn a few trousers brown.

Even more interesting was how plants could be infected as well. Naruto was of the thought that the Blacklight virus could only properly infect and consume animal cells. But he was wrong, infected plants like herbs, ferns and even flowering plants would become masters of deception. They still retained their appearance, but the moment a prey item was in range, it would strike with flailing tendrils and even _toothed mouths_. The mouths weren't really useful for eating, so instead a pitcher plant like, 'stomach' of sorts where the plant's roots once were, was used to break down a kill. The tendrils would drag it down into the earth and place it within the 'stomach'. Sometimes the plant wouldn't kill a prey item and just drag it down upon grasping it. Said prey would then digest slowly and painfully in a slow acting acid and eventually die off once the brain was consumed. It would be useful as a torture implement.

Naruto mostly used the infected to guard his bunker. A few Brawlers would patrol the area around the bunker, while the infected plants would form a circular perimeter around the bunker. If someone or something managed to get past the outermost perimeter. The Brawlers would descend upon them.

And if they managed to get past the Brawlers and enter the vicinity of the bunker, Zeus would take care of them.

Naruto was broken out his thoughts when Iruka announced the written portion of the exam that would give the Academy students their hitai-ate. A quiet sigh was released from him. He hated written tests. Not because he was bad at them, but because they just so _boring_. He grit his teeth, and began filling out the answers on the exam, and was finished within five minutes. Damn. Now he had to wait for an hour and a half. Oh well. Might as well get some sleep.

Naruto placed his head down on his desk, covered his head completely with his arms, and closed his eyes.

"It's time to turn in your exams!"

He was jarred awake when Iruka yelled out. He glanced at the clock and, yep, an hour and a half had passed.

'That was a nice nap. Now the hopefully fulfilling part is next.'

Iruka ordered the class to exit the classroom, and student's would be called alphabetically to take the practical exam, consisting only of being able to perform a henge, substitution and creating a clone. It wasn't even a solid clone either. Just an illusory one.

'Damn. I'm at the bottom of the list. More fucking waiting.' Naruto thought, more than a little peeved at just how damn long it was taking. He could be patient though, and waited as students were called, and either walked out dejectedly, or with a shiny new hitai-ate on them. The clan heirs all passed, not much of a surprise there. Sakura passed somehow. He didn't want to get into the details of this majorly flawed exam. And finally he was called. Took long enough.

He entered the classroom and walked in front of the teacher's desk. Iruka was sitting down, a smile on his face. Mizuki was nearby, but Naruto could very easily tell that smile of his was fake.

"Okay Naruto, the exam is simple. All you need to do is perform a successful henge, substitution and a clone technique."

Naruto cocked his head as he performed a sealless henge. Smoke covered his form, before eventually retreating. And what they saw was rather shocking.

Naruto had performed a perfect henge of the Sandaime Hokage. Pipe and all. The only thing that was off was the lack of expression on the elderly kage's face. It was more than a little unnerving.

"E-Excellent Naruto. Please perform a substitution now."

Naruto vanished in a poof of smoke, and Iruka suddenly found himself in Naruto's place. His legs kicked up on the desk.

Iruka had a very good reason to be surprised. To be able to substitute with a living person was an exceedingly difficult task. One that even most kages struggled with. The fact that Naruto could perform such an act, especially with his abnormally large reserves spoke volumes of his skill.

"Very impressive Naruto! Do you mind if I return to my desk now?"

Iruka was once more in his chair, and Naruto standing in front of him.

"Alright. Just one more technique. Just do a successful clone. It only needs to be one."

Naruto nodded before speaking up.

"I can't use the normal clone technique, so I came up with my own spin of it. Mind if I use that instead?"

Iruka nodded. And was swift to cover his mouth in shock and slight horror as Naruto began to literally _split in half before his eyes._

A ripping sound echoed throughout the classroom, and suddenly there were two Naruto's in the room now. Both looking amused at Iruka's reaction.

"Um..."

"Er..."

Uh oh. It seemed Iruka and Mizuki were too shocked to speak in proper sentences.

"So..."

Both Naruto's spoke in unison.

"Can I get my hitai-ate now?"

Iruka and Mizuki nodded slowly in unison. Naruto grabbed the last hitai-ate off the desk and walked out the door.

"Uh..."

Naruto suppressed a chuckle as the two chunin mumbled in the classroom. It was always funny seeing someone react to his true powers. Saiyuri walked up to him, she seemed concerned for some reason.

"Naruto..." Her voice was melodic. "Where's your hitai-ate?"

Naruto raised his left hand, it was holding a hitai-ate.

"Right here. What? You thought I was going to fail?"

Naruto suddenly placed a hand on his forehead and took a dramatic pose.

"I didn't know you thought so lowly of me, Saiyuri. I can feel my heart breaking apart as I speak."

Saiyuri lost the concerned expression, and one of panic replaced it.

"W-What?! No, No, I didn't think that!"

She was making wild hand gestures. It certainly made for an amusing sight. Such so that Naruto couldn't quite keep up the act, and broke into a few chuckles.

Saiyuri noticed this and pouted. It was definitely a cute expression.

"Mou, Naruto...your mean."

Naruto smirked.

"Oh relax. I was just having fun."

Iruka and Mizuki seemed to break out of their shocked states, and asked the remaining student's to enter the classroom again. The class was informed that they would now be assigned teams, and a jonin-sensei. (Team assignments are the same as canon, I'm lazy.)

He was assigned a team with Saiyuri, Things were looking up. Then Sakura was assigned to their team.

'Oh you have got to fucking kidding me.' Naruto silently seethed. 'I have to spend my time as a genin with that waste of space? Fuck.'

Their sensei was apparently one Kakashi Hatake. Naruto knew this guy. He had read up on the bingo book, and even owned the newest edition.

He was the son of the White Fang, Sakumo Hatake, who had committed seppuku after a disastrous mission in which the jonin squad he led was decimated with him as the only survivor. He was the sole surviving student of the Yondaime Hokage.

'Oh great. The student of the man I hate the most in the world. Fucking beautiful'

The other team's jonin sensei had already picked up their team, and now only Team 7 was left.

"Okay, seriously? Where the hell is this guy? I'm just about ready to say fuck it and leave."

Saiyuri did her best to calm him. It didn't work too well.

"Maybe he's busy, Naruto."

Naruto scoffed at that.

"Busy my ass. Lazy more like."

Saiyuri sighed, before looking at Sakura, a smile on her face.

"So Sakura..."

Naruto tuned out their conversation. They mostly conversed about things that Naruto didn't really care about.

The door opening jarred Naruto from his sleep. And Kakashi walked in.

He was a man of average height, with impossibly spiky hair, jutting upwards, entirely defying gravity. He wore the standard Jonin outfit. Black shirt, dark green vest. Black pants with a large pouch on the right thigh, with bandages on the ankles, and black shinobi sandals.

He had a lazy demeanor, with a face mask obscuring his lower face, and nose from view. His hitai-ate was tilted down, covering his left eye. The visible eye was half-lidded, and looked at Team 7 with boredom clearly visible.

"My first impression of you is..."

Team 7 leaned forward at that.

"I find you all incredibly boring."

Saiyuri and Sakura fell out of their chairs at that. Naruto closed his eyes and did his very best to silence the voices screaming at him to tear out Kakashi's tongue.

Kakashi spoke again.

"Meet me on the rooftop."

Kakashi was about to exit the building when Naruto spoke next.

"Saiyuri, Sakura get up to the rooftop. I'll talk with Kakashi about tardiness for a while."

The two girls were somewhat confused, and Kakashi was interested at what Naruto was going to say, so he decided to stay in the classroom a little while longer. The two female members of Team 7 walked past, sparing a glance back at Kakashi, who waved them off. The two then proceeded towards the roof access stairwell.

Naruto stood, walked to the door, and closed it. Kakashi realized Naruto was much taller than he originally thought, standing a full head taller than himself. Naruto turned towards Kakashi, and Kakashi couldn't quite explain the feeling of intense terror he felt when those blue-silver eyes locked onto his own.

"Now..." Naruto spoke, his voice dropping several octaves, "We're going to head up to the roof, but in style." Ending the sentence with a sinister grin.

Kakashi didn't get a chance to talk back, before tendrils suddenly erupted from Naruto's back and wrapped around him.

(Academy Roof)

"What do you think Naruto's saying to Kakashi-sensei?" Sakura asked Saiyuri. She didn't know Naruto too well. Her parents had told her to be careful around him, but he never seemed to interact much with other people besides Saiyuri.

Said Uchiha shrugged. She had the strange feeling something very odd and/or funny was going to happen.

"AAAAAAH! NARUTOOOOOOO! LET ME GOOOOOOO!"

Kakashi's terrified screaming had the two young women swiftly run to and look over the edge, and sure enough Kakashi was there. Bound in what appeared to be black _tentacles_ coming from Naruto's back. Naruto himself was climbing up the building, his fingers digging into the wooden walls of the academy.

"Nope!" Naruto yelled out, oddly cheery. "This is your punishment! Now stop screaming and take it like a man!"

Kakashi screamed even louder in response.

Naruto had eventually reached the edge of the roof, with Saiyuri and Sakura standing well away. The tendril-bound Kakashi was suddenly reared back, as if in preparation to be thrown.

Kakashi's single eye widened to the point it resembled a dinner plate.

"NO! NO! NO! NO! DON'T DOOOOOOOOOOOO IIIIIIIIIIIIT!" The last two words drawn out as Kakashi was tossed with fantastic speed towards the opposite side of the roof. He impacted with enough force to nearly break through the lip of the roof. His visible eye was replaced a swirl, as he moaned in both pain, and dizziness.

Saiyuri and Sakura turned to look at Naruto, who had an innocent expression.

"What? He deserved it."

The two girls looked at each other for a brief moment. Then broke out into hysterical laughter.


	9. Chapter 9

Chapter 9

Preparing for the bell test, and a horrid theory

Kakashi had recovered rather quickly, though it was very noticeable how he would occasionally grasp at the back of his head and wince in pain.

"Right..." Kakashi drawled out. "Let's introduce ourselves."

Sakura frowned.

"How should we?"

Kakashi and Naruto in unison stared at her, both dumbfounded at how she apparently didn't know how to introduce herself. Sakura noticed this, and a furious expression took over her face.

"I mean what should we say! Not how to introduce myself!"

Kakashi and Naruto summarily ignored her. And Kakashi continued his previous sentence.

"Before I was so rudely interrupted..." casting a glance at Sakura, who proceeded to flush slightly in embarrassment. "I was going to introduce myself. Now, My name is Kakashi Hatake. I'm not going to tell you what I like or dislike. I have a dream... and a few hobbies."

The three graduates stared at Kakashi in either outrage, in Sakura's case, slight annoyance, from Saiyuri, and Naruto... was somehow sleeping standing up. Saiyuri proceeded to punch him lightly in the shoulder, and interrupted his micro-nap.

Kakashi looked at Naruto with a slightly twitching eyebrow.

'Oh boy...Minato-sensei...You better appreciate this.'

"Okay. Now tall, brooding, and blond. You're next."

Naruto momentarily glared at Kakashi, before relenting.

"Alright fine. My name is Naruto Uzumaki. My likes are Saiyuri Uchiha," Said girl proceeded to blush at that. "and Ichiraku Ramen. My dislikes are the ignorant, and the prejudiced. I really don't have a dream, and I don't have any hobbies."

Kakashi frowned underneath his mask as Naruto stated his dislikes. It wasn't too much of a stretch to believe it was really the Konoha residents who either feared him to the point they shunned him, or those who hated him so much, they attempted to endanger his life. He'd have to watch out for that.

"Okay, you next pinky."

Sakura silently fumed at how this lazy jonin remarked at her hair color. She didn't choose it herself! Calming her anger, she introduced herself.

"My name is Sakura Haruno. My likes are make-up, and cute boys. My dislikes are ugly people. My dream is to find the one perfect man." Proceeding to look upwards, in a daydream state, further attracting Naruto's ire. "My hobbies are making myself and my girlfriends look pretty." chirping out her hobbies in a tone that made Naruto sincerely want to tear her throat out.

Kakashi once more frowned under his mask. It seemed Sakura was still in the civilian mentality. He'd have to fix that soon, otherwise she wouldn't stand a snowball's chance in an actual combat situation.

"Uh-huh. Righty then. You next Saiyuri."

Naruto likely would have pointed out how Kakashi referred to Saiyuri by name, but was too busy day-dreaming about killing Sakura in numerous, horrific ways. He didn't like the naive So what?

Saiyuri then introduced herself.

"My name is Saiyuri Uchiha. My likes are my mother, and Naruto." Not quite being able to suppress the slight flush to her cheeks. "My dislikes are the prejudiced. My dream is find my brother, and..." That derailed her train of thought somewhat. What did she want to do with Itachi? The desire for revenge within her was certainly strong, but always tempered by what Naruto had said when she brought it up to him.

_'Revenge is a useless thing. It doesn't make you feel better. It doesn't make things right. But that's just killing out of revenge. Living out of revenge is even better. Show the person that wronged you, that whatever they did didn't affect you in the least. Live a happy, and long life. Leave that tragedy behind in the past, where it belongs. Revenge is sweet. It's even better when you can spit in the face of the person you hate the most by living happily despite that pain deep inside.'_

Saiyuri did hate her brother intensely. She still didn't know why Itachi killed off her clan, and nearly killed their mother as well. That was when the answer came. She would find him. And get those answers. Then she'd leave him. To live a happy life. Just like Naruto said.

"And... get answers from him."

Kakashi eye widened slightly. Saiyuri didn't want revenge? The Uchiha were the stuff of legend, especially with their 'Curse of Hatred'. It was certainly a good thing to see that Saiyuri wasn't afflicted by said Curse.

"My hobby is spending time with my mother, and Naruto." Saiyuri finished her introduction, a slight smile on her face.

Kakashi hummed slightly in what appeared to be consideration before nodding his head.

"Good, at least two of you seem like good ninja material."

Sakura spoke up, slightly confused at what Kakashi meant.

"Wait, two of us?"

Kakashi ignored her.

"Alright, may as well drop the bomb. You three haven't graduated yet."

**That** certainly got a response from the trio.

"**WHAT!?"** Sakura yelled out, very nearly deafening Saiyuri, and even Kakashi had to cover his ears with his hands. She would have shouted again, but a pale, and extremely cold hand swiftly came over her mouth. Blue-silver eyes stared at her, an infinite rage burning within.

"_Shut your mouth before I rip your tongue out." _Naruto hissed out, an otherworldly echo in his voice.

Sakura very quickly nodded, it looked as though her head was about to fly off her shoulders. Naruto released her, and wiped his hand on his jacket, mumbling about loud pink-haired monkeys and something to do with intestines.

Saiyuri was very much confused, and slightly angered by what Kakashi said. She would have gone over to Sakura to see if she was alright, but there were currently more pressing matters.

"How do we graduate for real then?"

Kakashi seemed to smile at that. The mask over his face obscured his mouth, but his eye seemed to show his smile, curving into a strange shape resembling an inverted 'U'.

"Another test!"

'Seriously?! Another fucking test!?' Naruto would have likely punched Kakashi in the face for even thinking of such a thing, but restrained himself. He already very nearly crossed the line with the tentacles. He honestly didn't want to hear an earful from Old Man Hokage.

He decided to question what the test was going to be about.

"So what the fuck is the test then?"

In his own special way.

Kakashi smile seemed to grow at that.

"You'll just have to find out for yourself. Meet me at Training Ground #3 tomorrow morning at 6 AM sharp."

Naruto eye's gained a slight red glow at that, and a slightly maniacal smirk tugged at his lips.

"I expect you to actually be there. _Or should I drag you kicking and screaming all the while? Actually, I think you'll just get the** 'Express Tour'.**_"

Kakashi swiftly responded to that threat. He did **NOT** want to manhandled by those damn, frigging tentacles again. He wanted to protect his chastity! And Naruto probably would ram a tentacle or two, right up his ass! All the while laughing!

"**NO! NOT THE TENTACLES AGAIN!"**

Of course, Naruto being Naruto, he brought out the tentacles again, and immediately wrapped one around Kakashi's ankle and lifted him up, until he was at eye-level with Naruto.

"I want you to promise, you won't be late. **Ever again.** Do you understand?"

Kakashi frantically nodded.

"**YES! KAKASHI WILL BE A GOOD BOY! KAKASHI WILL ALWAYS BE A GOOD BOY! I PROMISE!"**

Naruto chuckled slightly, before releasing him, dropping him head first onto the roof.

"Yes. You are a good boy."

He turned to Saiyuri.

"Saiyuri, I wish you luck with the test."

Then Sakura.

"Sakura...don't get in our way."

Ignoring the streams of tears flowing from Sakura's eyes, he turned once more, facing the Forest of Death, and leaped away. Landing somewhere around in the Forest.

Saiyuri really wanted to know where Naruto got his powers from. Not cause she wanted them, she was just curious about her best friend.

Sakura walked down the stairwell and made her way home, Saiyuri as well.

Kakashi was currently in the fetal position, clutching onto his Icha-Icha book like it was a security blanket. Tears were streaming from his visible eye.

"You'll protect me from the mean Naruto right, Icha-Icha-chan?"

Kakashi momentarily broke out out his fetal position when he realized that he never got to mention that his new students weren't supposed to eat breakfast the day of the test. He then proceeded to begin crying even harder.

(Naruto's bunker)

Naruto landed a few feet from the entrance. The door automatically opened in response to him. That was another security measure. The majority of the armored doors within had been destroyed as a result of an impatient Naruto or Zeus. 

Speaking of Zeus... He had been acting rather strangely lately. He would avoid Naruto, and went out of his way to be in private. Naruto was more than a little concerned. Zeus was the closest thing he had to family. Not just because of their shared inhuman nature, but because Naruto completely trusted him. Not even Saiyuri had that distinction. Or at least, not yet.

He decided to look for Zeus in the bunker. He usually resided in the lowermost levels of the bunker. The elevator shaft was a good way down. It was quite literally just an elevator shaft. The flattened remains of the elevator was at the very bottom. Naruto had accidentally mis-stepped and fell down the shaft. He wasn't hurt, of course. The elevator...not so lucky.

He dropped down, landing on, and further compressing the destroyed elevator at the lowermost level of the bunker.

"Zeus?"

No answer came.

Naruto frowned. He was really starting to get worried.

"Okay seriously, Zeus come out. You've been acting weirdly lately."

A quiet oddly feminine voice sounded out.

"I-I'm over here Naruto."

Naruto rounded the corner where the unknown voice originated from, and was summarily rooted in place at what he saw.

It was a woman, early-mid twenties. She wore the female equivalent of Zeus' outfit, but there was where the similarities ended mostly. For one, she was incredibly beautiful. Dark brown tresses flowed out from the gray hood covering the rest of her head, the hair gently curling on the way down. Her face was heart-shaped, with a small button nose, and full, pouty lips. Her figure was hourglass-shaped, but not to any ridiculous standards. She was rather well-endowed, along with full hips. She was also lightly biting her lower lip, obviously nervous.

"Hi, Naruto."

"Um..."

Naruto couldn't really be blamed for his reaction. He knew Zeus could take any form imaginable, as could he, but Zeus never mentioned completely changing his... well, now it was **HER** base appearance like this.

"I can change back if it's making you uncomfortable."

Naruto snapped out his trance.

"Wha? No, it's fine."

Naruto crossed his arms, and looked at Zeus with a raised eyebrow.

"So... you changed genders? What for?

Zeus lightly rubbed her upper arm. A nervous tic from one of the numerous people she had consumed.

"I stopped calling myself by 'Alex Mercer' so I decided to go the full way. And I even came up with a new name for myself." She seemed to cheer up towards the end of the sentence, a radiant smile splitting her face.

Naruto's eyebrow lowered, and the opposite one was raised.

"Oh? Do tell?"

If her smile was radiant before, it was absolutely blinding now.

"Anastasia." (Shout-out to Deimos99340 for suggesting the name for me!)

Naruto smiled lightly in return. It was hard trying to remain all brooding around Ze...Anastasia when she was all happy like that.

"It's good that you finally let go of that guy. Mercer was a definite asshole."

Anastasia giggled at that. It was comparable to the tinkling of small bells.

"So... did you graduate?"

Naruto frowned at that.

"Not quite, I have the hitai-ate," flicking said band, which wrapped around his left bicep. "but apparently there's a third, secret test. If I pass that, I become a genin."

Anastasia frowned at that as well. That seemed somewhat redundant, considering the quality of most non-clan Konoha genin.

"Maybe it's to determine whether the members of the genin squad are compatible with one another?"

Naruto closed his eyes, and took on a thoughtful expression.

"Perhaps." He opened his eyes. "Or it could be to see how good of a team player you are."

Anastasia raised an eyebrow at that.

"Teamwork? I suppose it's good for a squad of relatively inexperienced genin. How'd you come up with that conclusion?

Naruto was about to go on a lecture, but a slight glare from Anastasia quickly dissuaded him of such a notion.

"Teamwork is basically the foundation of the Konoha military. A combined effort of a single squad is often the deciding factor in a battle. Or so the shinobi say."

Anastasia nodded at that. It certainly sounded like a good idea, on paper at least. It's entirely impossible to predict the outcome of a battle, unless you were to somehow possess total knowledge of the enemy's tactics, numbers, and had developed successful counter-tactics, but you'd have to be fighting one particular foe for a very long time. And often everything about your foe would change, tactics, the size of their forces. It was more than likely that the antiquated idea of teamwork, by Konoha standards at least, was no longer effective in this current era.

"Well, I suggest you just play along. You told me about that girl, Sakura, and how she was useless in combat. Saiyuri isn't so incompetent, but she doesn't have experience. Kakashi seems to be lazy, and will likely slack off in training the others. You might just be the linchpin holding that team together."

Her expression grew concerned.

"You sure you can handle that?"

Naruto nodded.

"I'm certain. Kakashi seems lazy, but I'm certain he's just hiding his skill. A key concept in the world of shinobi is deception. Sakura will certainly weigh us down, but I don't think she's of much use in a combat role to begin with. She has very small reserves, and thus, possesses good control over it. She will certainly be of use as a medic-nin. All that's needed is to avail her of the civilian mindset and desensitize her to the violence one would find on the battlefield."

Naruto had begun pacing now, hands locked behind his back. Anastasia withheld a sigh. It seemed she couldn't quite stop him from lecturing.

"Saiyuri is a unique case. Her Sharingan, will most certainly allow her to be very proficient in genjutsu, and her katon, and raiton chakra nature means she will be able to use those devastating katon techniques that the Uchiha are famed for."

Naruto smiled slightly.

"Her raiton chakra nature, rare in Konoha, and almost impossible to find in the Uchiha clan, means she might be able to learn Kakashi's Chidori, and Raikiri techniques. With a degree of experience, she will certainly become a very strong ninja in the future."

Anastasia grinned in a teasing manner.

"Wow Naruto. From the way you were talking about her, I'd say you were in love with her."

Naruto was immediately broken out his lecturing stance. He whipped around to Anastasia, identifying the teasing smile on her face. He immediately crossed his arms, and tried to play off the statement.

"What? Me? In love? Yeah right." There was a very slight blush on his cheeks. It would have likely been undetectable if he wasn't so pale.

'I always love it when I can get Naruto embarrassed' Thought Anastasia, The young man needed to try and drop his serious demeanor to try and enjoy his youth while he still had it. He wouldn't die any time soon, and indeed, it was all too likely that Naruto would never die. Anastasia was of the same condition, but she was never alive to begin with.

Naruto, once upon a time, 16 years ago was born human, and mortal. Now though, he was like her, with a body composed entirely of the Blacklight virus. But he possessed a human soul. Or at least he used to. When Naruto's soul was revealed to her, she was fairly certain a human soul wasn't supposed to look like that.

Naruto had stolen numerous books from the Konoha Library about numerous subjects. Mathematics, History, Chakra, Jutsu theory, and the most peculiar book he found, an ancient, dusty tome, spoke of the supernatural world.

Yokai, the Bijuu, and spirits were discussed in that tome of the supernatural. She had read it out of boredom a few years ago, and discovered something that was very concerning.

The chapter spoke of the human soul, and even provided a description, and a hand-drawn image of what it looked like. The human soul could take many forms, but the most common one was a simple ball of light.

Then it discussed the afterlife, specifically, Hell. The book offered description of malevolent beings, called 'Demons' that could originate from Hell. They could possess living humans, and sometimes corpses. But when they were exorcised, they would exit the host, as a cloud of black smoke.

That certainly rung alarms in her head. Naruto's soul was composed of a mostly shapeless cloud of black smoke, and he was fully capable of forming a humanoid body as well. Demons usually didn't take any corporeal form, as they weren't as capable of manipulating the environment as well in smoke form, as they could when possessing someone.

Had Naruto's soul somehow become like a pseudo-demon? Had losing his innocence, and his childhood at such a young age, condemned him to Hell for all eternity? It was a nightmarish thought.

Naruto had already knew his soul was eerily similar to the descriptions of demons in that tome, but he wasn't concerned. He wasn't planning to visit either Heaven or Hell in his likely infinite existence.

But Anastasia still worried. How couldn't she? Naruto was the first thing she encountered in this new world. He was a source of knowledge about this strange environment. And beyond that, he was likely the only other one of her kind. And she truly cared about him. Dana was but a distant memory now, and one she would likely forget soon enough.

But enough of these morbid thoughts. Naruto had a test to complete tomorrow. And then the Hokage would reveal everything about his past to him. He had been patient for long enough. It was time to clear away that fog of mystery. And what he would find there, would change him forever.


	10. Chapter 10

Chapter 10

The warhawk's nightmare, the bell test, and secrets revealed

Naruto awoke from an oddly pleasant dream. He strained to remember the details, but knew it involved Anastasia, and Saiyuri, for some reason. He was fairly certain it had something to do with sex. Maybe. Oh well. He had a test to do today. Might as well get there really early. He looked towards the digital clock on the night table beside his bed.

4:00 AM, the clock read in bright green.

Naruto briefly raised an eyebrow.

He usually didn't wake up this early. Eh. Probably just a one time thing anyway.

He was about to get up when he finally realized there was a strange weight on his chest. He pulled back the covers, and his jaw dropped, and hung slack at what he saw.

Anastasia was currently lying on his chest, hood pulled back, letting her long shoulder length dark brown hair be revealed to the world. Her breasts were pressing against his chest in such a manner, that Naruto was certain his member would be at full mast, if he didn't possess absolute control over his body. But it was still a very arousing thought. She was lightly snoring.

She seemed to be mumbling slightly in her sleep, and occasionally a quiet giggle would emanate from her slightly parted lips, and she would blush very lightly. It didn't take Naruto too long to realize she was likely having an erotic dream. If the way she was lightly rubbing her thighs together wasn't so obvious.

That got Naruto thinking. What exactly was she dreaming of?

He didn't quite get an opportunity to continue that train of thought before a meteor smashed it before it even left the station. Said meteor being Anastasia waking up, and looking directly into Naruto's eyes.

The two stared at one another for what seemed like centuries, before Anastasia blushed heavily and buried her head further into his chest.

"Um...Anastasia...What were you doing sleeping in my bed?"

Her reply was muffled, but not too difficult to hear.

"I thought you were going to asleep for a while longer! I didn't mean to...!"

Whatever she would have said next was interrupted by a light flick to the top of her head.

Slowly, she raised her head up, blush still evident on her cheeks.

Naruto seemed extremely amused by what was going on. The blond bastard...

"Relax. It's not a problem to me. You could have told me you were going to do this before I nodded off at least."

Slowly, Anastasia nodded.

"Yeah...I probably should have..." Her cheeks flared again. "Did you by any chance hear w-what I was saying?"

Naruto smirked. Uh-oh...

"Why yes I did. In fact I'm fairly certain I heard my name being moaned, and you telling me to put in another tendril." The smirk became a full-blown grin. "I never knew you were so kinky."

Anastasia squeaked like a mouse, an incredibly hilarious sight to Naruto, and immediately pulled her hood back up. He was fairly certain her cheeks were literally glowing now, as a faint red light emanated from her hood.

Naruto stopped grinning, and had a slight smile on his face instead.

"Anastasia, like I said I don't mind, and not cause I'm a perv. You're the first friend I made. And the only other one who I can truly relate to. I wouldn't mind having that kind of relationship with you. It may have been only a day since you took your current form, but I'm already comfortable with it. This is who you truly are in my own opinion."

Anastasia looked back up at Naruto, cheeks still faintly glowing. She was fairly certain her heart was fluttering now, as nonsensical as that statement was considering she didn't possess any organs at all. Naruto really was a kind and gentle soul. You just had to dig through years worth of pain, misery, and slight insanity. But that kindness was still there.

"Thanks, Naruto..."

"You're welcome. Now do you mind getting off me? I do have a test to do today."

Anastasia nodded and slowly crawled off Naruto's chest. Naruto clambered out of bed the second she was off.

Naruto stretched, solely out of habit.

He was about to walk through the door, but stopped next to Anastasia, and then did something she wasn't expecting in the least.

He kissed her. On the cheek. It was still enough to get her to blush as bright as the sun. Not literally of course.

Naruto flashed a teasing grin, before exiting the bedroom.

Anastasia lightly rubbed where Naruto had kissed her, before smiling.

(Bunker Hallway)

Naruto had just exited the bedroom, and was very nearly bowled over by an excited Brawler, a severed arm in it's mouth. It's little tail wagging. It made a very interesting juxtaposition, considering the Brawler was much larger than Naruto.

"Gah! Be more careful next ti.." Naruto never finished the sentence when he noticed the arm in the Brawler's mouth.

"Okay. Drop it."

The Brawler did just that.

"Now sit."

Again, the Brawler followed Naruto's orders.

Naruto stared at the Brawler, a serious expression on his face. He kneeled down, picked up the arm and spoke again.

"Show me where you got this arm."

The Brawler seemed all too ready, and proceeded to bound off towards the bunker's exit, Naruto closely following behind, still clutching the arm.

(Bunker entrance)

The Brawler leaped out the open doorway, Naruto simply walking out. The Brawler called for him, an extremely loud and deep bark emanating from it's mouth, before it raised it's right foreleg, it's tail standing completely straight, and pointing towards a nearby bush with it's snout.

Naruto walked past the Brawler, dragging a hand across it's head, before heading over to investigate the bush.

There was a body there. Badly mangled, and missing an arm. Naruto looked down at the arm he was still holding, before tossing it back at the Brawler, said Infected leaping into the air at least twenty feet, catching said limb, landed, and proceeded to gnaw on it.

The clothes were ripped heavily, revealing deep wounds and broken bones, no doubt a result of an attack by a Brawler. A porcelain mask, with an animal design, said mask heavily cracked, and missing a good chunk, revealing the unfortunate Anbu's left eye, clouded over in a milky white film.

Naruto frowned. Why would one of Old Man Hokage's Anbu be out here? He didn't know. Yet, at least.

Corpses still had viable memories, but it was dependent on how long the corpse had been, well a corpse. Even if the brain itself was entirely dead, it's neurons were still in the pattern that dictated some memory. He wouldn't get as much information, but it was better than nothing.

Tendrils erupted from Naruto's back and swarmed the corpse.

(Corpse's memories)

"_Your mission is to search the Forest of Death for Naruto Uzumaki. You will be accompanied by two of your fellow ROOT. I expect you to return successful, and with the location of Uzumaki-san. I will not tolerate failure." _Naruto couldn't make out the figure speaking. But he could determine that he walked using a cane, and seemed to be either missing his left arm, or had it in a sling of sorts.

"_Yes, Danzo-sama." _A lifeless and emotionless voice monotoned. It seemed to be the voice of the dead ROOT agent. No more viable memories were left.

Naruto suppressed a growl. **R****oot****.** Led by one Danzo Shimura, of the Hokage's advisers. The man was completely dedicated to Konoha, often going to extreme lengths to protect or ensure Konoha's prosperity.

Recently, Danzo had been investigating Naruto, attempting to determine if he was a threat to Konoha in anyway. But for some strange reason, that Danzo could never quite figure out, any Root agents he sent to investigate would disappear. And the body would never be found either.

Naruto already knew many of Danzo's darkest secrets, how Danzo ordered a trio of orphans in Amegakure to be killed as one of them apparently possessed an extremely powerful doujutsu. Of special note was that the orphans were trained by one Jiraiya of the Sannin. When they survived, and led a rebellion in an effort to overthrow Ame's dictator, Hanzo the Salamander, Danzo allied with Hanzo, and attempted to crush the rebellion, succeeding in killing the leader, Yahiko, but Nagato, the one with the doujutsu, had activated an extremely powerful technique, that eradicated the combined forces of Hanzo and Danzo, as well as killing Hanzo.

Another one of Danzo's darker deeds was how he forced one of his former agents, one Nono Yakushi, to attempt and kill her adopted son, Kabuto.

Naruto growled deeply as that particular memory came drifting back. It was more than enough to enrage him. Naruto truly believed that the bond between family was a sacred bond. If someone was to break that bond, either a member of said family, like Itachi when he nearly killed off the entire Uchiha Clan, or Danzo, who perverted that love between a mother and her son, into a desire to kill. Said individual would get very high up on his shit list. Itachi was in third place. Danzo second, and Minato Namikaze would stay in first for a very long time.

Danzo was quickly becoming an annoyance. He would have to deal with him quickly. Naruto quickly leaped to the tallest tree near him, and looked at the Sun.

It's position indicated that just over five minutes had passed since leaving the bunker. Roughly 4:10 AM. More than enough time to deal with Danzo. The Root nin had a headquarters in deep subterranean tunnels under Konoha. The entrance was just outside Konoha, a non-descript shed off the beaten path. It concealed the hatch that would allow one to enter the access tunnels that led to the Headquarters. There were numerous traps and dead-ends, but the layout was already known to Naruto thanks to other Root Anbu he had consumed a few years earlier.

He wouldn't kill Danzo, but he would scare him. Everyone had a fear. And Naruto knew Danzo's very well.

(Konoha Village limits, 4:10 AM)

The shed that concealed the entrance to the Root HQ was a half-mile from Konoha, due west. The shed itself was decrepit, with the planks that made it up rotting and some seemed to hang loosely from the walls. The door itself was also loose, and closed and opened in the wind.

It was located in a forest that been ravaged by a wildfire, and most of the trees around were just burnt husks, with no leaves. It made the place look somewhat eerie. Naruto would have to change the environment his bunker to dissuade any would-be chunins during the next chunin exams to try and explore said bunker.

Naruto walked towards the entrance, and the door swung closed just as he was about to walk through. His reaction was to expected. The door was reduced to splinter and sawdust as he punched it into oblivion, and walking through the remains that still clung to the hinge points on the frame.

The shed's interior was similar to it's exterior, with cobwebs in the corners of the roof, and ancient furnishings, a couch with the springs having somehow punched through it's cushions, a refrigerator that was rusted to the point, that when Naruto brushed against it, the door simply dropped off. The stove seemed to have burned, with scorch marks surrounding it, on the ceiling, and cupboards.

Naruto walked to where the hatch was meant to be, a simple large rug, with frayed edges, and what seemed to mold growing on it, concealing the hatch. He pulled it back, revealing a solid steel bulkhead built into the floor, with a keypad on it. Naruto knew the code, but he wasn't here for a pleasant visit to begin with. He gripped the edges, steel bending and distorting around his fingers, and pulled back, ripping the hatch, all 250 pounds of it, and tossed it away, a heavy thud, and the wooden floor cracking.

He jumped down the descending tunnel, ignoring the ladder built into it's walls, and fell for roughly 150 feet, before impacting at the bottom, kicking up a huge amount of concrete dust, as the tunnel floor shattered underneath his feet. His vision switched to Infrared, and headed through the correct path, Claws replacing his left arm, with his Blade taking the place of his right.

(Root HQ, Danzo's office)

Danzo Shimura had lost more Root agents in the past five years, than he lost in the Ame incident. It was more than frustrating, those agents sent to investigate the Uzumaki child were some of his best men and women, more than capable of battling toe-to-toe with the stronger of Konoha's Jonin, like Kakashi Hatake, and Maito Gai.

Danzo suspected that Uzumaki somehow managed to eliminate them, but how was that possible? When he first started sending agents to monitor him, Uzumaki was only an Academy student, second-best behind Saiyuri, but still just a brat with no experience whatsoever in combat.

The disappearances of multiple civilians during Uzumaki's childhood, only served to further deepen the mystery behind Uzumaki.

Hiruzen, the idealistic fool he was, had concealed the parentage of Uzumaki from almost everyone, only revealing it to those who shared a very close bond to his successor, the Yondaime. Kakashi Hatake, and the Yondaime's personal bodyguards, with Aoba Yamashiro and Gekko Hayate being the surviving two out of the original four members.

The Yondaime was more than likely Uzumaki's father, with Kushina Uzumaki, the previous jinchuuriki of the Kyuubi, being his mother. But it still didn't explain Naruto's combat proficiency. Where had he gotten the experience, and who trained him?

Danzo would have considered these questions further, but an alarm sounded suddenly, the klaxons, and alarm lights roaring to life.

Danzo's visible eye widened significantly. Someone had managed to breach the HQ.

"Root! Find and eliminate the intruder!" The order was bellowed out, and a squad of 9 Root agents immediately began running towards where the intruder was last sighted.

Not a few seconds later, the Root agents were suddenly launched back, in varying states of dismemberment, with blood spraying from where limbs, and heads were severed. Then a figure clad in a white hooded jacket, along with a black bubble vest walked out. His clothes were covered in copious amounts of blood, and his arms didn't resemble anything human. His left arm was covered or constructed of a black chitin-like material, with his fingers having been replaced by very long, needle-like claws. His right arm shared that chitin, but there was not a visible hand or digits. Below where the elbow would be, a massive blade, seeming to have been constructed of steel replaced the forearm, with a smaller blade emerging from behind the main blade, with the combined length being longer than the figure was tall. Blue-silver eyes blazed out from the shadows that the hood cast on the intruder's face.

Danzo immediately reacted, and called out a jutsu.

"**Wind Release: Vacuum Sphere!"**

Danzo deeply inhaled, and spat out a ball of whirling wind at the intruder. The jutsu never struck.

The hooded man suddenly moved forward at an inhumanly high speed, faster than the Yondaime Raikage ever could, and bent at an impossible angle, letting the ball of wind pass harmless above him. Within the blink of an eye, the hooded man was suddenly in front of Danzo, those blue-silver eyes now glowing a menacing red. He could see more of the man's features now, a corpse-like pallor, and what seemed to be whisker marks on his cheeks.

Danzo never got the chance to fully appreciate the irony before a clawed hand suddenly descended on his head, and gripped with skull-crushing force.

(Naruto's POV)

Naruto debated simply killing Danzo here and now. He had fought and carved through numerous Root Anbu on his way to the Root HQ and a majority of the Root were young children. Roughly no older than ten, the oldest being around 14 years old. Their age didn't affect Naruto's will to kill, but he would have rather preferred to kill adults but oh well.

Naruto was more than willing to kill Danzo. The man had taken orphans off the street and turned them into emotionless killing machines, by having them bond with another orphan, becoming siblings, then forcing the two to fight to the death, with the victor being inducted into Root's ranks. Danzo had gone too far with that. But Naruto couldn't kill him now. He wanted Danzo to suffer.

Danzo had a unique summon contract, the Baku, a supernatural entity capable of consuming nightmares to improve a sleeping person's life. They weren't necessarily benevolent, but viewed the relationship they had with humans as a blessing. The nightmares they fed on were always prevalent, in either children, or those who had fought in wars. Danzo's Baku had clung to him, seeing a feast in the old shinobi's mind, and the numerous nightmares that would plague Danzo.

But Naruto had a plan.

"Danzo Shimura. You are going to summon your Baku, or I will reveal every secret you have to the Hokage. You'll be discredited, your Root will be disbanded, and you'll likely be executed for undermining the Hokage's power. Unless you summon your Baku the moment I release you."

Danzo seemed to agree, a muffled raspy voice being heard from beneath Naruto's Claws.

"Alright! I'll summon the Baku!"

Danzo was reared back, and thrown a good 50 feet into the opposite wall, cracking the stone wall.

'Naruto is more foolish and arrogant than Hiruzen. This'll be quick.'

Danzo bit down into his thumb, drawing blood, and shouted out.

"**Kuchiyose no Jutsu!"**

Danzo slammed his bleeding hand on the floor, and a sealing matrix spider-webbed out in a radius of roughly 10 feet in front of him. A large cloud of smoke suddenly appeared above the matrix, and cleared to reveal the Baku.

It was very large, almost to the point that it couldn't fit in the chamber. It was mostly a dark orange, with the legs a tan color, with dark orange tiger like stripes. The legs ended in tiger like paws, with large claws. It's head was covered in bandages, in a similar manner to Danzo, with an elephantine trunk and two tusks jutting out of it's mouth.

The Baku roared, before suddenly pointing it's trunk towards Naruto, and inhaling with such force that Naruto actually began to slide towards the Baku, it seemed intent on goring him with one of it's tusks. But that would only serve to hasten the Baku's death.

Naruto suddenly began to sprint forward, toward the Baku, a move that Danzo hadn't been expecting. Danzo believed that Naruto would attempt to swipe at the Baku with his Claws or Blade, but it never happened, as Naruto suddenly skidded to a stop and plunged his Clawed hand into the concrete floor. Then the ground exploded underneath the Baku.

The dust settled, and Danzo was treated to a horrifying sight. The Baku had been impaled on immense, monolithic black spikes. It was roaring in pain, and struggled to free itself from the spikes. It had managed to get half-way up the numerous spikes that trapped it, until another smaller spike burst out of the ground, below it's head, and pierced through it's skull, with fragments of skull and brain sticking to it. The Baku groaned out for a few more seconds, before going limp, with a pool of blood growing around it's perforated form.

Danzo couldn't quite keep the terrified gasp in his throat.

A black smoke began to billow out of the Baku's mouth and trunk before rocketing over to Danzo. He desperately attempted to dodge the smoke, but failed, and the smoke forcefully entered him, through his eye, mouth, nose, and ears. And then the screaming started. Danzo's nightmares, from the First Shinobi World War, to every atrocity he had committed in the name of Konoha came roaring back to him.

Danzo stopped screaming, and suddenly fell limp to the floor. He was still conscious, and likely able to comprehend, but he would never get any peace now. Now that his nightmares haunted him once more.

Naruto stared down at Danzo's limp form. There wasn't any pity, or hate, or remorse. There was no feeling. Just like the Root Anbu that Danzo trained.

"Don't fuck with me Danzo. You're not going to wrap me around your little finger like so many others. I can assure you, I can do a lot worse than kill you."

With his point made, Naruto shifted his arms back to their normal state, and walked away.

Danzo only twitched once, as another nightmare ripped through his psyche.

(Root HQ Entrance)

Naruto leaped upwards out of the access tunnel, and burst through the roof of the shed. He landed a few feet away and looked back at the shed.

Naruto was certain that Danzo wouldn't perform any further investigations into him. If Danzo tried to speak out, he'd likely be cast off as senile, and suffering from hallucinations.

A wicked smirk tore Naruto's face in half.

He looked back up the Sun, and just about 15 minutes had passed since he left the bunker. So, the time was approximately 4:25 AM.

With any outstanding concerns now dealt with, he may as well head over to the Training Ground where the test would be taken.

Hopefully, Sakura didn't drag them too far behind.

(Training Ground #4)

The Training Ground was empty, it was one of the more mundane training grounds, with nothing really of note to make it stand out. It seemed he would have to wait. Meh. He could use some more rest anyway.

(An hour and a half later)

Naruto was interrupted from another pleasant dream when someone tapped on his shoulder. He stirred awake, and looked up to see Saiyuri, smiling down at him.

"You're here early Naruto. How long have you been here?"

Naruto momentarily dragged a hand across his face, and got to his feet.

"I've been here for..." He looked at the Sun and it's position told him what the time was. "An hour and a half. Roughly."

Saiyuri tilted her head, raven strands falling to one side.

"Why were you here for so long?"

Naruto shrugged.

"Cause I could. Kakashi here yet?"

Saiyuri nodded. The gray haired jonin had arrived here roughly when the rest of the soon-to-be team arrived. He refused to wake up Naruto however. Mumbled something about tentacles and 'Icha-Icha-chan'.

"Yep. He's just over there." Pointing to Naruto's left. Naruto looked in the direction of her finger, and noticed Kakashi's hair sticking out from behind a tree trunk.

Naruto made a shushing motion towards Saiyuri, a devious look on his face. Saiyuri very lightly giggled, and nodded. Naruto walked around to the tree where Kakashi was hiding behind, and moved until he was right behind Kakashi.

He seemed to be currently panicking, and quietly whispering to himself,

"Where the hell did Naruto go?! I need to keep my eye on him all the time! Those tentacles of his could be anywhere!" He shuddered at the end of the sentence.

Naruto smirked cruelly, as a particularly thick tendril emerged from his shoulder. It was strangely shaped, with a rounded head. It bore a rather curious resemblance to the human male sex organ for some strange reason.

Naruto directed said tendril until it was a few inches away from Kakashi's rear.

Then he prodded Kakashi.

"**HOOOOOOOOOOOOOOLLLLLLLLLLLLLLYYYYYYYY FFFFFFFUUUUUUUUUUUCKINNNNNNNNNNNNGGGGGG SHIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIT!"**

A high-pitched squeal erupted from Kakashi's masked mouth. And he proceeded to leap forward a good thirty feet. In his panic, he realizing he would impact into another tree. Unless he used substitution. He was about to utilize it, but something drew his attention back to Naruto. He had a log, and was carrying it in his arms. An absolutely terrifying expression was on his face. Those blue-silver eyes had a pinprick of red in them. Daring him to substitute. The choice was clear. He impacted into the tree with enough force to fell it.

Saiyuri was laughing so uncontrollably, tears of mirth were streaming from her eyes.

Sakura, who had just entered the Training Ground, was unfortunate enough to intercept Kakashi on his unplanned flight, and was summarily bowled over into a heap.

Saiyuri was still laughing.

A few minutes later, Saiyuri recovered from the hilarious sight, and assembled with Naruto and Sakura. Kakashi was standing in front of them, idly rubbing his rear end.

"Okay. Now that Naruto has stopped trying to torment me any further..." Said hooded teen glanced at Kakashi at that, eyes glowing a very dull red. Kakashi withheld a shudder and tried to ignore Naruto.

"Let's do this thing. The objective is simple." At that Kakashi pulled out a pair of bells from his right pocket. "All you need to do is get these bells from me."

Sakura noticed that there were only two bells, when there were three of them. Naturally she questioned this.

"Um...Sensei? Why are there only two bells?"

Kakashi eye-smiled. He might be able to get some payback on Naruto. Granted, it was an infinitesimally small chance. But he was willing to take it. He would soon grow to regret it.

"Whoever doesn't get a bell..."

At this Kakashi's eye opened, and narrowed, a serious expression on his (partially visible) face.

"Will _**not**_ become a genin."

Kakashi then pulled an egg timer, and set it for one hour.

"If you don't get the bells from me within the hour, you all fail."

Sakura eyes flew open in horror, and Saiyuri's eyes narrowed. Naruto crossed his arms, and spoke up.

"Huh. Well I already know who won't remain in the team." Naruto proceeded to ignore the indignant squawk from Sakura.

Kakashi lost the serious expression and eye-smiled again.

"Right then! Go!"

Sakura and Saiyuri proceeded to run in different directions, with Saiyuri planning an ambush, and Sakura just planning to steal a bell from either Saiyuri or Naruto once they got one.

Naruto remained still. Arms still crossed. His head was tilted lightly to one side, and his eyes were closed.

"Um...Naruto? Shouldn't you be...oh I don't know...running away or something?"

Naruto opened his eyes, and made eye contact with Kakashi. Kakashi suddenly found himself rooted into place, he looked down at his ankle, and had a terrifying realization. A thin tendril was currently wrapped around it. He looked at the opposite ankle, and yep. There was another tendril wrapped around it. He looked at Naruto who motioned towards his left foot, and lifted it slightly, revealing a tendril emerging from the sole of his shoe, matching the dimensions of the tendrils wrapped around his ankles, having burrowed into the ground.

Kakashi eye widened at the implications. Naruto was capable of immobilizing an enemy shinobi without them ever noticing. It was a terrifying thought to imagine Naruto out on the battlefield, tendrils whipping around, felling an entire army within minutes.

The tendrils briefly tightened, before releasing and returning to Naruto.

"I already know what this test is meant to do. You're supposed to learn how to work together as a team."

Kakashi's eye widened even more. Naruto already knew what the bell test was for?

"How'd you find out?"

Naruto scoffed lightly.

"It wasn't too difficult to find out. Konoha genin squads always have three members, along with a jonin-sensei. It's practically the main strategy in combat for Konoha shinobi anyway."

Kakashi nodded, pleased at how Naruto so quickly grasped that.

"So are you going to help the others?

He did something that Kakashi wasn't expecting. Naruto shook his head.

"Kakashi. I am not a very good team player. I'm much better as a lone wolf. With a team, my stronger attacks have a chance of them getting caught in between. Alone, I don't need to worry about friendly fire."

Kakashi frowned. It seemed Naruto wasn't as willing to work together with his team as much as he originally thought.

"You do realize that you might very well fail the test because of your unwillingness to work together?"

Then Naruto scoffed again.

"Just cause I don't personally like working with others means I'm going to jeopardize Saiyuri's chances of her getting answers from her brother."

Kakashi lost the frown. Huh. Naruto had more integrity than he originally thought.

Naruto then took on a combat stance, it was foreign to Kakashi, with two clenched fists raised up to chest level, and Naruto was currently on the balls of his feet, constantly raising and lowering himself.

Kakashi responded in kind, pulling out a...

An Icha-Icha book.

A vein momentarily pulsed on Naruto's forehead, and decided to show Kakashi why he should really stop underestimating him.

Naruto dashed forward, at a speed Kakashi wasn't expecting, given how his eye widened, and his Claws suddenly appeared on his right hand, and sliced in the general direction and location of the smut book.

Kakashi frantically dodged away, pulling the book close to his chest. He examined it, and breathed a sigh of relief when he didn't see any damage on it. He was about to mock Naruto for his tactically useless frontal assault when the book suddenly dissolved into paper mulch and strips of leather.

Kakashi noticed the odd lack of weight in his arms, and looked down.

"_**NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO! ICHA-ICHA-CHAAAAAAAAAAAAAAN!"**_

The cry of despair was loud enough to reach the Hokage Tower, where Hiruzen got the strange urge to clutch his Icha-Icha book and whisper comforting words to it for some strange reason.

Meanwhile, Kakashi had a devastated look on his face. And tears were openly streaming from his eye. He whimpered a little while longer.

"W-Why did you sacrifice yourself for me Icha-Icha-chan? You know I'm not worth it!"

Kakashi proceeded to bawl for a few more seconds, much to Naruto's amusement and slight confusion. Kakashi's eye suddenly blazed, with a fiery determination.

"Don't worry Icha-Icha-chan! I'll make sure your sacrifice wasn't in vain! I'll make the bastard who killed you the greatest pervert ever! So he'll never harm one of your sisters ever!"

Naruto was fairly certain Kakashi was entirely insane at this point. And this was coming from someone who could literally eat a person _whole_ in less than one second, and comment on how oddly chewy that person was.

"Uh-huh. Right. Well are you going to attack me now or are you just going to keep crying over that worthless smut?"

Kakashi looked extremely offended at that.

"How dare you insult the memory of Icha-Icha-chan!"

He then proceeded to charge forward, fingers locked in a tiger seal for some reason.

Naruto swiped at him once he got in range, but a successful substitution kept him from giving Kakashi a much-needed haircut.

"**SENNIN GOROSHI!"**

Wait what?

Naruto never got the chance to further contemplate why Kakashi screamed out that particular phrase before he felt something ram itself rather painfully up his rear.

"**MOTHERFUCKING SHIIIIIIIIIIIT!"**

Naruto was then launched forward into another section of the forest entirely, hands clutching his rear.

Kakashi pumped a fist in victory.

"HA-HA! Take that Naruto!"

"Oh really?"

Kakashi stiffened in terror as an all-too-familiar voice baritoned from behind him.

He never got the chance to look back.

"_**GYAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!"**_

Naruto had quite literally shoved a tendril right up Kakashi's ass. The spiky, gray-haired jonin rocketed off in the same direction, where Clone-Naruto was launched.

A thud prompted Naruto to look to his left, and a bio-clone glaring at him was what he saw.

The original Naruto shrugged.

"It was either you or me."

Clone-Naruto only glared harder.

(Saiyuri's POV)

Saiyuri tilted her head in confusion at the sudden scream of terror and agony that sounded off in the distance. She decided to ignore it. And Kakashi. Who was screaming across the sky. Yeah, it was probably better she didn't ask.

(Naruto's POV)

The clone and Naruto merged again, and he decided to look for Saiyuri. He closed his eyes, and released a blast of infra-sound that traveled through his body, and into the ground. It was the same method that elephants used to communicate across long distances, but was being used in a similar manner to how bats used sonar to traverse the environment.

The returning wave traveled back up to Naruto, and he opened his eyes. She was due north-west, roughly a quarter-mile away. While he was making his way towards Saiyuri, he may as well come up with a name for the sonar technique.

Hunting? Nah.

Sonar? It was better, but not enough.

Hunter Pulse? Yeah. That sounded good.

Less than a minute later, Naruto had found the tree that Saiyuri was concealing herself in. She actually did a good job. If Naruto's vision wasn't so sharp, he'd likely have to use infrared vision to locate her.

He quietly climbed up the tree and got to the branch just behind Saiyuri.

"So, how it's going?"

Saiyuri squealed in surprise, and whirled around, a kunai in hand.

Naruto blinked as the sharp piece of metal cut into his cheek, deep enough to reach bone. Not that he actually had bones, but still. It was actually rather impressive. Naruto's body was superdense, with him having to siphon off excess biomass, into a storage seal written on where his heart would be, just so he could actually climb the tree without it being reduced to splinters.

There was roughly 2 tons worth of biomass in the seal. Naruto weighed about 750 pounds currently.

Naruto would have continued thinking about how his body was constructed, when a horrified gasp was emanated from Saiyuri.

Naruto frowned, why did she look so guilty? Oh right. She had inadvertently attacked him.

"I-I'm so sorry Naruto!" Tears were beginning to form in the corners of her eyes.

Naruto idly rubbed a hand against the wound on his face, and like magic, it suddenly just disappeared.

Saiyuri was certainly surprised by this.

"W-Wha?" A few tears had spilled out, and trailed down her face.

Naruto waved off her concern.

"Okay, would you please stop the waterworks? I'm fine." He traced where the disfiguring wound was once. "See? All better."

Saiyuri responded the way Naruto expected her to. She launched herself at him, and wrapped her arms around him in what would have been a breath-taking hug. If Naruto breathed, of course.

"D-Don't scare me like that again, baka-Naruto!"

Naruto withheld a sigh. Humans and their emotions...Oh well. Saiyuri was one of the few humans he actually liked.

He responded to the hug in kind, wrapping his own arms around her much smaller frame.

Saiyuri's face was currently buried in Naruto's chest, but she blushed brightly when Naruto hugged her back, at least Naruto wouldn't see her blush and tease her about it.

"Your face is warmer than usual. Are you blushing?"

Dammit!

"Shut up Naruto." Her response came out muffled.

Naruto did enjoy the hug, but they had business to do.

"As much I like hugging you, I know what the test is about."

Saiyuri released Naruto, her cheeks still stained a faint red, and she tilted her head questioningly.

Naruto answered her.

"Basically, it's to see if we can work together as a team."

Saiyuri tilted her head back to it's normal position, and an expression of disbelief took hold on her face.

"Wait, that's it? To see if we can as a team?"

Saiyuri was currently beating herself over the head. Mentally, mind you. Why hadn't she figured it out before?! Probably because she was too busy imagining what it'd be like to be on a two-man team with Naruto. And having him comfort her after a particularly stressful mission, and having him take off her clothes, and gently rubbing her...

Saiyuri immediately put a stop to that particular train of thought before it became an outright wet dream. And she managed to stop the blush before it came to her cheeks! Now Naruto couldn't tease her!

"Are you okay? Your eyes got a little unfocused, and you were giggling for some reason."

Dammit! Again!

Thankfully, Naruto stopped teasing her, and suggested they go look for Sakura.

Hopefully she was alright.

(Kakashi's POV)

Kakashi shook his head, it seemed Sakura was rather vulnerable to genjutsu, that or because her reserves were so small, she would likely have great difficulty in breaking out of even the weakest genjutsu. Or she was about as useful in the field as a piece of wet tissue paper. It was one of those three.

Sakura was currently unconscious, a trail of saliva leaking out from her open mouth.

He had used one of the weakest genjutsus, **Magen: Narakumi no Jutsu**

It was a fairly simple genjutsu. It took advantage of it's victim's greatest fear, and made it appear real. Kakashi didn't know what Sakura's greatest fear was, but had an inkling it involved one of the boys she pined after in Academy.

Kakashi sighed heavily, he had a _lot_ of work to do with Sakura. Saiyuri and Naruto meanwhile...

Saiyuri was much like the typical Uchiha in combat, utilizing genjutsu with her Sharingan, and with an impressive repertoire of Katon techniques.

Naruto was the odd one out of...well the entirety of Konoha Shinobi.

He seemed to use jutsus sparingly, or just didn't use them. He mainly fought with that strange shape-shifting ability. Kakashi had a theory as to what it was, an extremely advanced henge technique. But how did that explain the clone that Kakashi used the Sennin Goroshi on? If it was a Kage Bunshin, it would have dispelled the moment he made contact with it. Was it another type of clone, like a Mud, or Water clone?

No, that couldn't be. A Mud clone was unlikely out in the forests of Konoha, except for maybe the Forest of Death, with the streams that ran through it. The Water Clone theory had the same problem, with no nearby body of water, it wasn't it. Unless of course Naruto somehow had the ability to pull moisture out of the air around him like the Nidaime. But that was impossible right?

Kakashi would have thought more about Naruto's strange powers, but was interrupted when Naruto dropped in front of him.

'Speak of the Devil, and he appears...' Kakashi thought idly. Hopefully Naruto didn't pull out the...

Naruto formed a few tendrils from his back, spreading out in a wing-like formation.

Well now. Kakashi only had one thing to do. He ran. All the while screaming.

"_**NO! NOT AGAIN!"**_

Saiyuri had to wonder just what Naruto did to Kakashi to make him so afraid. She was about to ask, but then figured that she **really** didn't want to know.

Naruto had kneeled next to Sakura's limp form, and Saiyuri followed him, crouching down next to him.

(Sakura's POV)

"Can I please just kill her? No one but us will know." What may have been a smack to the shoulder interrupted the masculine voice. "Ow."

"No, Naruto you can't kill her." A feminine voice deadpanned.

The masculine voice seemed to relent.

"Alright fine. The way she is now, she's likely going to die on our first C-rank anyway."

Sakura couldn't believe what the masculine voice was saying. She was the daughter of two of proud Konoha shinobi! Granted her mother was only a chunin when she retired, and her father only a genin, but still! She could handle herself in a fight!

'_Che, what makes you so sure?'_

Sakura angrily attempted to banish that voice from her mind. She wanted nothing to do with it.

_'What makes you think you can get rid of me so easily Sakura? We're the same person. Granted I'm just the better version.'_

Sakura growled mentally. Her inner self was always trying to put her down.

'Shut up!'

_'I'd try and convince you to actually take your ninja career seriously, but knowing you, you'd probably just daydream about boys and getting married. At this rate, You'll die.' _Inner Sakura's voice ominously stated.

Sakura would have said something back to her split self, but was interrupted when a hand roughly smacked her across the face. Her sight returned blindingly, and she was greeted to the sight of Naruto, who looked disapprovingly at her, and Saiyuri, who appeared concerned.

"Naruto, you didn't have to hit her so hard!"

Said hooded blonde retorted.

"Nothing else worked! Why are you defending her anyway?"

Saiyuri didn't answer, and helped Sakura get to her feet.

"Sakura, We're sorry for waking you up so rudely." A pointed look from Naruto indicated he wasn't sorry in the least. "But we need you to help us pass this test."

The pink-haired genin shook her head in confusion.

"How? They're only two bells."

Saiyuri smirked and said.

"We need to work together."

(Kakashi's POV)

Kakashi withheld a bored yawn, as he looked at the timer. His would-be students only had five minutes to complete the test, and as they were now, even though Naruto figured out what the test was about, He and the others would fail unless they were to do something now. But what were the chances of that happening?

"**Katon: Hosenka no Jutsu!" **A volley of four small balls of fire came roaring out of the overgrowth.

It wasn't too difficult to dodge them, but of course, that technique was usually meant for...

There was a whistle of air as four incredibly sharp Claws whizzed past Kakashi's left ear.

Distraction!

Kakashi knew how fast Naruto was, and couldn't afford to hold back any more. He pulled up on his hitai-ate, revealing his scarred right eye, and the Sharingan within.

The world slowed down to a crawl, even Naruto, quick as he was, moved like at a snail's pace. But the relief Kakashi felt didn't last long, as Naruto suddenly returned to his original speed, and an immense Blade came screaming at his neck.

Kakashi's eyes widened in surprise. The hell?! Naruto was quick enough that even a skilled (albeit non-Uchiha) Sharingan user could react properly!?

A flurry of blades, the main one longer than Kakashi was tall, came at him unhaltingly, Kakashi had to put every ounce of effort into dodging the deadly limbs. He wasn't always successful, with a few scratches occasionally being made, Kakashi didn't even have the time to wince in pain before another Clawed finger, or that huge Blade arm nearly taking his head off.

The attack mercifully stopped, and Kakashi was left bleeding, and exhausted. He had put a lot of chakra into his Sharingan just to make sure he didn't lose a limb. He never noticed Sakura coming up from behind him, and proceeding to kick him square in the family jewels.

A whimper of pain echoed throughout the clearing, and Kakashi fell onto his knees, clutching his abused groin. A Clawed hand whisked away the bells.

"Huh. Would you look at that. Sakura actually did something useful." Naruto's voice snarked.

"Yep! I told you my plan was going to work!" Saiyuri's voice chirped.

"Shannaro! Take that Kaka-sensei!" Sakura screamed.

Kakashi eventually found the power to speak, albeit somewhat wheezily.

"H-How did you...?"

He was cut short by a strong right hook.

Kakashi later awoke, with a very sore left cheek, bound in rope (Thank Kami!) on the very same tree stump where he put down the timer. His would-be team sat down in a semi-circle around him, all except Naruto eating from their own individual bento.

Naruto was the first that noticed that Kakashi had awoken.

"Guys. Kakashi's awake."

Saiyuri and Sakura looked up from their meals, and yes. Kakashi was awake, and dumbstruck.

"Oh my Kami." Kakashi whispered to himself. "I'm never going to hear the end of this. Me! Beaten senseless by a bunch of Academy Graduates! I'll be a laughingstock for the rest of my life!"

Naruto decided to show some mercy to him.

"Oh stop whining. We're not going to tell anyone."

Saiyuri looked at Naruto as though he had just grown a second head. That likely was possible for him.

"Um...Naruto? Are you feeling alright?"

A vein pulsed from Naruto's forehead.

"Hey!" He cried out in indignation. "I can be merciful!" Everyone stared at him in disbelief. Another vein bulged out, and he muttered under his breath. Something about the numerous other times he showed mercy, then he backtracked, and admitted quietly that mercy wasn't one of his greatest virtues.

"Right!" Saiyuri chirped out again. "We pass now don't we, Kaka-sensei?"

Kakashi nodded and asked.

"Do you mind getting me out of this?" A quick swipe from Naruto's Claws freed him. And he decided to ask Naruto a question.

"So, Naruto..." Naruto looked towards Kakashi, having a succinct feeling he wouldn't like the question. "How do you do that?"

Naruto feigned ignorance.

"Do what?" Kakashi wasn't fooled.

"How do you shape-shift like that?"

Damn. Now they ask. Saiyuri and Sakura leaned in closer to Naruto, each curious as to the origins of his abilities.

"It's just a very powerful henge technique." Naruto smoothly lied. He wasn't prepared right now to reveal that particular secret about himself.

Kakashi hummed noncommittally. He had a feeling Naruto wasn't telling the truth, or only telling part of it, but he wouldn't prod. Everyone had dark secrets they wanted no-one else to know. Kakashi could easily attest to that.

Saiyuri and Sakura seemed to accept that answer fully, with a shared "Oh..." of realization.

The gray-haired jonin suddenly clapped his hands, and said.

"Good work all of you! You are now officially Konoha genin!" He pulled out a camera from one of his flak jacket's pockets. "Now, let's take a commemorative picture!" Kakashi placed the camera on a timer, set it to take four pictures in as many seconds, and had his new students huddle around him. Naruto briefly protested, but the dreaded technique that almost every woman seemed to know, and which Saiyuri was a master at, the _**Puppy eyes **_quickly eroded away any reluctance. The camera went off four times in as many seconds, and Kakashi's new students, as well as Kakashi himself, now had a picture to immortalize this moment.

Kakashi was eye-smiling, with his hands placed on top of Saiyuri's and Sakura's head, with Saiyuri smiling slightly, Sakura grinning, and Naruto was off to the side, arms crossed, and with a slight smirk tugging at his lips.

It was done now. Naruto had finally graduated. For real this time. He would finally get answers from the Hokage.

Saying his goodbyes to Saiyuri, and ignoring Sakura and Kakashi's efforts, He went off towards the Hokage Tower.

(Konoha Academy 7:30 AM)

The Hokage Tower...well, _towered_ above the rest of the building of Konoha. And Naruto was on a warpath. Naruto would refer to it later as a leisurely stroll. Anyone unfortunate enough to be intersect with him would swiftly find themselves bowled over by Naruto. Even a slight bump of the shoulders would make even particularly portly people stumble.

Naruto was just about to enter the Tower when Mizuki's voice called out from behind him.

"Wait, Naruto!"

Naruto ignored Mizuki.

"Please! Just wait up!"

Naruto deeply sighed. He debated the consequences of having Mizuki choke on his own eyeballs. Well...Ah fuck it.

"Mizuki." Naruto turned around, blue-silver eyes rooting Mizuki in place. "The _fuck_ do you want?"

The white haired chunin shivered lightly, and gathered his courage.

"You just completed the teamwork test with your jonin-sensei right?"

Naruto nodded, his eyes narrowing in suspicion. Where was Mizuki going with this?

At seeing Naruto nod, Mizuki seemed to become strangely chipper.

"You know you can get extra credit right?

Naruto didn't like where Mizuki was going with this, but decided to play along, perfectly feigning confusion.

Mizuki seemed to notice Naruto's confusion, and elaborated.

"It's simple, a new kinjutsu has been identified and needs to be added to the Forbidden Scroll of Seals. It's at the Hokage Residence, but I'm certain Hokage-sama isn't there."

Mizuki grinned internally. The White Demon of Konoha would be eliminated today, and he'd get the seal to his true Kage, Orochimaru-sama. If he played his cards right of course.

"Just go in, get the Scroll, and get back to me. I'll be waiting west of the village, at it's limits."

Did Mizuki honestly think Naruto was some naive, stars-in-their-eyes, green as fucking grass genin? Naruto was sorely tempted to just reach out and pluck Mizuki's eyes from their sockets. But, again, logic managed to calm that bestial instinct to kill any potential threats.

If the Hokage knew of this potential traitor, then Naruto was free to eliminate the traitor in any way he saw fit. After all, he would be executing said traitor, and acting in the name of Konoha, in their eye's at least.

Naruto nodded.

"Alright sure. I'll get this Scroll."

As Naruto turned away, Mizuki began to grin outwardly as well.

Such a fool.

Naruto never really went towards the Hokage Residence, it was just a bio-clone. The real Naruto had entered the Hokage Tower, and blew past the secretary who attempted to tell him that the Hokage was meeting with the jonin-senseis, but she was ignored.

(Hokage Office)

Hiruzen steepled his fingers and asked in an authoritative voice.

"Those of you who have been assigned genin squads, tell me whether or not they passed. Hayate Gekko, you are first."

Hayate was a man in his mid-twenties, with an overall sickly appearance. With pale skin, dark brown hair, and dark markings under his eyes. He wore the standard Konoha shinobi outfit.

"Team 1, fail." He coughed lightly afterward.

"Aoba Yamashiro."

He was of similar age to Hayate, with black spiky hair, and the Konoha hitai-ate wrapped around his forehead, keeping his bangs from falling in front of his eyes. Said sensory organs were obscured by red-framed sunglasses. Like Hayate, he wore the standard shinobi outfit.

"Team 2, fail."

Teams 3 through 6 all failed. It was expected. The Konoha Academy Curriculum had deteriorated with this unusually long period of peace. Said deterioration was the result of the Civilian Committee, who reasoned that their children should be able to attend the Academy, and have a good chance of passing. Hiruzen was never able to confirm it, but there was suspicion of Committee members threatening teachers with blackmail, and lawsuits.

Hiruzen would have found and eradicated these individuals who would dare attempt and undermine Konoha's military strength but the Kyuubi attack had halted these efforts before they ever truly began.

Even now, 16 years after the attack, Konoha had not fully recovered it's full military strength.

Hopefully, the next three teams would bolster Konoha's future ranks, since they consisted mainly of clan heirs, and the child used to seal the Kyuubi away.

That brought up another issue. Naruto had graduated fully, and was likely going to burst through those doors at any moment demanding his past be revealed to him. And Hiruzen was afraid. Of how Naruto would react, if he would suffer anymore damage to his already scarred psyche.

Hiruzen had kept so many secrets from Naruto, all at the behest of his father, Minato. Minato's reasoning was that Naruto may become arrogant with that knowledge. Hiruzen knew so much better. The contempt that Naruto had for Minato would reach a new high, and Naruto would likely grow to despise the village.

But that was an issue to be dealt with in the future. He looked to Kakashi, and noticed his left cheek was oddly swollen. Had he been bruised?

"Kakashi Hatake."

Kakashi eye-smiled and what he said sent shockwaves throughout the collected jonins.

"Team 7, pass."

The entirety of the room, save Hiruzen, all looked at Kakashi in varying degrees of shock.

Kakashi Hatake? Pass a team?

Hiruzen noticed how the jonins were reacting to Kakashi, but wasn't too surprised. With Naruto's odd abilities, to his friendship with the Uchiha Heiress, along with Naruto's unparalleled expertise in taijutsu, matched only by Maito Gai, was likely the deciding factor in the test.

"Good. Kurenai Yuuhi."

Kurenai was a woman in her late twenties. She was fairly tall, with a slender frame, and possessed pale skin, along with raven black untamed hair that fell to her shoulders, she wore a rather odd outfit. A red mesh armor blouse, with only the right sleeve attached. Bandages were wrapped around her forearms, and upper thighs. She possessed unique red eyes, with a single ring within them.

"Team 8, pass."

Team 9 failed, which drew a tired sigh from Hiruzen, before he turned his attention to his son, Asuma.

Asuma Sarutobi was a tall man, almost as tall as Naruto, with spiky black hair, brown eyes, and a bronzed tan. He wore the standard Konoha shinobi outfit, with the only thing of note being a white sash wrapped around his waist, bearing the kanji of 'fire' on it, as well a pair of black bangles on his wrists, and bandages wrapped around his biceps. He was idly chewing on an unlit cigarette.

"Team 10, pass."

Hiruzen was about to ask whether Team 11 passed, but the doors to his office were suddenly opened with enough force to knock one off it's hinges, with the loose door, slowly falling inwards to the Office.

A tall masculine figure was in the doorway, with hands in the pockets of his white hoodie.

Hiruzen slowly dragged a hand across his face, mentally preparing himself for the shitstorm that was brewing.

"Wha?! Hey! You can't be in her...!" The chunin who attempted to stop Naruto was swatted away like a particularly annoying fly.

"Hey Old Man Hokage."

The Sandaime sighed.

"Hello Naruto."

The hooded blond walked forwards, completely ignoring the disapproving looks that the majority of the jonin sent to him. He reached the front of the Hokage's desk.

"I've graduated old man. Our promise?"

Hiruzen steeled himself.

"Yes. Yes, of course. You're all dismissed."

The jonins all filed out.

"I suggest you get a chair Naruto. You'll want to be seated for what I'm going to say. Anbu, you can leave us."

The hidden Anbu, having concealed themselves in the darkest corners of the rafters, dropped down, and exited the room.

The hooded blonde steeled himself as well. This would make or break the multitude of theories he had come up with about his past. More than likely, the worst ones would be the closest to the truth.

The Sandaime sighed deeply, and his shoulders sagged, his age clearly showing itself. The Sandaime was no more. There was now an old and very tired man sitting in that chair.

"I know you likely have already suspected this, but it is true. You are the Kyuubi's Jinchuuriki."

Naruto's shoulders slumped, as much as he wanted to try and deny that truth, it was always niggling in the back of his mind. Hearing it confirmed, brought a contradicting sense of relief, and sadness.

"Anything else I should know?" Blue-silver eyes stared up at Hiruzen, the trauma and pain kept concealed was now obvious, the usually faintly glowing eyes were now dull, and so very tired. Much like Hiruzen's own. It brought another stab of guilt to the old man's heart.

"Your father..." Hiruzen hesitated for a moment, and Naruto seemed to brace himself, as one would brace for a punch or kick.

"Is Minato Namikaze. The Yondaime Hokage."

And there it was. The horrible truth. One that Naruto so desperately hoped beyond all hopes wasn't true.

Naruto reacted in a way that had Hiruzen immediately brace himself.

Naruto's shoulders slumped, his hooded dropped down, and he was staring at the ground. His hands had clenched into fists, and were trembling. Tendrils had emerged from Naruto's back and were flailing about, striking anything in range, Hiruzen excluded. The pictures of the Hokage's were knocked off their mounts on the walls, and deep slashes were gouged out of the walls themselves.

Hiruzen ducked underneath his desk as a very large tentacle came sweeping past. And as suddenly as the barrage of tentacles came, it went. The lethal tendrils returned to Naruto's back, and he slumped forward.

Hiruzen peeked over the top of his desk, it was an amusing sight, seeing the man once proclaimed "The God of Shinobi" hiding from a recently made genin would have drawn quite a few laughs from others. But no-one was laughing here.

Naruto had straightened again, and had a hand across his face. He dragged the hand down slowly his face. His eyes were now a dull red.

"Of fucking course he is. Tell me one thing. Why did he choose me, his son, over all the other children born that day?"

Hiruzen swallowed lightly, and answered.

"Your father was a noble ma..."

"_**BULLSHIT!"**_

Naruto had suddenly leaped to his feet, eyes now blazing a solid red, there were no identifiable irises, pupils or sclerae.

"_**MY DUMBASS OF A FATHER CHOSE THE VILLAGE OVER HIS OWN FAMILY! IF THE FUCKER WASN'T ALREADY DEAD, I'D TEAR HIS GODDAMN THROAT OUT! DON'T YOU EVER SPEAK OF HIM IN A POSITIVE LIGHT AROUND ME!"**_

Naruto roared out in an inhuman voice, with multiple other voices, feminine and masculine, echoed behind his words.

Hiruzen was literally blasted backwards from the force of Naruto's voice, with the windows of the office being blown out as well. He impacted very roughly against the wall behind him, and crumpled to the floor, groaning in pain.

"N-Naruto...Wha-What other choice did h-he have?" Hiruzen would regret saying that. As Naruto stalked over to his fallen form, shifted his Claws onto his right hand, wrapped said Claws around Hiruzen's head, and lifted him as though he weighed nothing.

"_**Minato Namikaze was an utter fool." **_Naruto droned out, with the voices still following his own. **_"He should be glad he is trapped in the Shinigami's stomach, for I would destroy him entirely. I would force upon him, every memory of my innocence being burned away, and my childhood falling down around my ears."_**

Hiruzen desperately pounded against the steel Claws wrapped around his skull, in a vain effort to free himself, the Claws shifted until they wrapped around his throat. Not hard enough to choke, but enough to make breathing difficult.

"_**Tell me. Who is my mother?"**_

Hiruzen, unable to muster enough breath to speak, pointed towards his desk, a manila folder with a familiar swirl design on it. Naruto released Hiruzen, letting him drop roughly to the floor, an Anbu attempted to re-enter the room, having noticed that the Hokage was in danger, but was sent flying backwards from a well-placed tendril to the stomach. More tendrils slammed the remaining door shut, and picked up the fallen door, put it back in place, and braced against the doors, a force that not even Maito Gai could overcome.

Naruto picked up the folder, and opened it.

The file within was of a red-haired woman who was strangely familiar to Naruto. Why did he feel as though he once saw her before?

The answer came in the form of a piercing headache, enough to make Naruto have to grip his forehead, but not enough to weaken the tendrils bracing the doors.

A memory came roaring back.

(Naruto's memory)

_A blinding light._

_The sound of a baby crying, it was close, then Naruto realized it was himself._

"_Congratulations Kushina! It's a baby boy!"_

_Kushina...The name of the red-haired woman. Was she...?_

_He was suddenly brought up to the face of said woman. Her smile shone brightly, even with her tear-stained cheeks. His eyes locked with hers. A wonderful blue-gray._

"_Sochi-kun...My little Naruto..."_

_The memory suddenly leapt forward, and the Kyuubi was visible now. He was lying on a soft cushion, and a strange array of ritualistic material surrounded him. Candles, the like._

_He looked to his left, and saw Minato with the Shinigami behind him. _

"_**SHIKI FUUIN!"**_

_The seal on his stomach that plagued him for as long as he remembered appeared. _

_Minato's body suddenly rapidly decomposed, as the Shinigami pulled out Minato's soul, bringing it to it's mouth, and consuming it. A faint blue light shining through it's throat._

_The Kyuubi seemed to recognize the threat, and attempted to kill Naruto, an immense claw speeding towards him. Then the unthinkable happened._

_Kushina, his mother suddenly leapt in front of the claw's path, and was impaled._

_A cry of agony, and crimson blood spewed out from where the claw exited her chest. Naruto felt the red fluid splatter against him. _

_Kushina reached out, lightly, and lovingly, dragging a finger across his cheek. She attempted to speak, but all that came out was more blood. _

_Kushina went limp, and fell to the ground after the Kyuubi was sealed away inside himself. _

_He could hear himself speak._

"_Mama?"_

(End of memory)

Naruto gasped in pain, and was brought to a knee. The tendrils that kept the Anbu from entering, slackened, and the doors began to open slightly.

That was it. That was where it all started. One of Naruto's first memories was of seeing his mother die before his very eyes. He hadn't even been an hour old.

(Naruto's mindscape)

Red slitted eyes peered out in confusion and curiosity from the golden bars of it's cage.

It seemed it's host had finally remembered the events that led to it being sealed inside said host.

The Kyuubi no Kitsune had at long last, awakened within Naruto.

* * *

Author's Note: I AM SO SORRY! I KNOW I PROMISED TO PUT A LEMON! I SWEAR THERE WILL BE ONE NEXT CHAPTER! AGAIN, SORRY!


	11. Chapter 11

**Chapter 11**

_**A mother's fate, and a romantic night**_

Naruto swayed to and fro as the memory had left him unbalanced. The tendrils bracing against the door slackened once more, and the three Anbu attempting to push it open were able to be seen. Naruto eventually regained his equilibrium, and forced the doors shut once more, what would be said now, needed to remain private.

He walked back towards Hiruzen, still collapsed on the floor, and picked him up once more, this time by the collar.

"Where is my mother entombed?" The question came out more an order than anything else.

The old man in his grasp gasped once more in pain, before answering.

"She's in the Hokage M-Monument. Along with Minato...His head...push open the left eye..." The old man was dropped once more, further rattling his ancient bones.

Naruto stared down at the Hokage, solid red orbs boring deep into his soul.

"I knew the secrets kept from me were dark...but this? Not even in my worst nightmares." A Claw danced dangerously close to Hiruzen's jugular. **"You should have told me from the very beginning."**

With that last sentence, Naruto allowed the doors to burst open, a swarm of Anbu, with their katanas unsheathed, and a horde of Jonin, hands locked in seals, prepared to barrage the attacker with a wall of ninjutsu.

The hooded blonde stared at them, before leaping out the window. Two Anbu promptly ran forward, and looked down. But the Hokage's assaulter wasn't there. Naruto had disappeared.

"Hokage-sama! Are you injured?" A feminine voice inquired, the Anbu who spoke possessed a mask with a cat design on it, with long violet hair that reached to her waist.

The Hokage helped to his feet by two other Anbu, shook his head.

"Should we pursue him, Hokage-sama?" Another Anbu asked, with a cat-like design on his mask, along with short brown hair.

"No...I suggest you don't. I've kept those secrets from Naruto long enough. His reaction is justified. Leave him alone, he'll do far worse to anyone who dares interfere now." The Anbu helped the Hokage get to the Hospital, where his injuries were covered up as him falling down a flight of stairs. Any doctors who questioned the bruises on his neck were threatened by Anbu, and the cowed doctors quickly got to their work healing the Sandaime.

**(Hokage Monument)**

Naruto landed on the Yondaime's head, with cracks spider-webbing out a good four feet. He leaped off the head, a tendril emerging and burrowing into the stone just above what made up the eyebrow of the Yondaime, and swung directly into the left eye, the stone disk that made up the pupil shattering like glass under the sheer force behind Naruto's feet. The tendril released and Naruto was propelled forward into the hidden chamber at least ten feet, skidding to a stop another ten feet later. Naruto's Thermal Vision was activated, as even the light streaming in from the newly made hole wasn't enough to light the massive burial chamber within.

The chamber itself was large, roughly 30 feet by 30 feet, with ornate stone carving of swirls and leaves decorating the walls. There was a doorway at the back, with the kanji for 'Yondaime' embossed above it. There was what seemed to be a sealing matrix on the doorway itself, Naruto identifying it as a trap seal, designed to deliver a lethal ampage into any intruders, unless they offered a small amount of blood. It was likely only the Hokage's blood would suffice.

Naruto, uncaring of the seal, or the trap it concealed, walked through, entirely ignoring the 20 amps worth of electricity that coursed through his body as he passed the seal.

The Yondaime Hokage's burial chamber was similarly decorated with ornate stone carvings, with the Yondaime's corpse itself within a clear glass coffin, the Yondaime's body must have been prepared with longevity in mind, as no decomposition was visible, not that it would have been noticed considering the state of the body.

The Yondaime's skin was a mottled greenish-gray, with the corpse being severely emaciated, as though the Yondaime had starved to death. Naruto was sorely tempted to just desecrate the corpse, but another coffin drew his attention.

It was wooden, presumably oak. A red swirl, something that Naruto identified at the Uzumaki clan swirl, decorated the hinged door of the coffin. With no small amount of hesitation, Naruto walked forward, and was enraged at what he saw.

The body within was skeletonized completely, no flesh remaining. A few very thin strands of red hair still clung impossibly to the skull. A carving within the door itself held the name of the body within.

_Kushina Uzumaki_

So they saw fit to preserve his bastard of a father's corpse, when said corpse already looked rotten and decomposing, but they left his mother's body alone? To rot, and fester away, until nothing was left but bone?!

Naruto attempted to calm himself, his arms shifting his Claws, and back numerous times. A scant few tendrils emerged from his back, and waved around, itching to lash out at something living and squishy.

A few moments later, Naruto had successfully quelled the rage deep inside, and closed the coffin once more. He hefted it, and made to exit the chamber. A wrong was committed on the day of his birth. One that he would right. He had to.

**(Hokage's hospital room, Konoha General Hospital)**

Hiruzen sighed in relief as another few ccs of painkiller flowed into his body. It was definitely good enough to quell the growing headache, as he stared at a growing pile of paperwork on a table next to him. Couldn't they just give a break with the paperwork?! He was hospitalized for Kami's sake!

Another sigh was released from the Sandaime's mouth, as he once more went over the events that ended with him having to be carried to hospital.

It could have gone so much better. He had to admit to himself now. If he wasn't so concerned with trying to somehow juggle the village, the Yondaime's son, and plan out strategies in case any village attempted an invasion while Konoha was on it's knees, he could have done so much better. But could he?

Naruto was never like other children. He had been present at his birth after all, and he saw the sheer intelligence within those blue-silver eyes. An understanding of the world around that was uncanny for a newborn. Hiruzen only had one theory for that. Somehow, the Kyuubi's chakra had leaked out of the seal, and into Naruto. It was a miracle nothing deforming or otherwise crippling happened. It was outright ludicrous to consider that something amazing happened.

The Kyuubi's chakra, exposed to the growing fetus, somehow accelerated the growth of nervous tissue, and the brain itself. By Hiruzen's theorem, Naruto would have gained the capability of independent thought by the time he was born. Even now, it still sounded ridiculous. But that theory only tried to explain Naruto's extremely advanced intellect. What about his other abilities?

They were nothing ever seen in this world before. Not even the Kaguya's Dead Bone Pulse could match up against Naruto's shape-shifting, since the Kaguya had to physically extract bone from their own bodies in order to weaponize it. While all Naruto seemed to have to do was think it, and his body would morph into the chosen form.

Discreetly, Hiruzen had extracted samples from Naruto's body, not directly mind you, but from odd black stains that others dismissed as merely some type of mold or another, and said stains were washed away into the sewers. Hiruzen took the sample of that strange black fluid, brought it back to his home, and studied it privately. And what he saw was nothing short of shocking.

The black fluid seemed to contain, or be composed entirely of, a _virus_, one that Hiruzen had never encountered in his life. His title 'The Professor' wasn't just because of the numerous jutsu Hiruzen had created in his long life, but he was also a man of science. From Biology, to Physics, Hiruzen had studied it all. But this virus was something new. Something foreign. Something that was _engineered_.

The virions themselves were absurdly large, easily the same size of the average human body cell. Most viruses were dwarfed even by the smallest of human cells, the red blood cell. But whatever virus that had found it's way into Konoha trumped everything else.

Scientific curiosity demanded answers, so using a Q-tip, he took a swab from his cheek, and introduced the cells to the virions. And what he saw, answered more questions than he wanted.

The virions immediately rushed to, and infected the cells, turning them into something that scarcely resembled a cell, with what seemed to be a completely solid wall surrounding the cell itself, acting as a microscopic suit of armor, with two very long _tentacles _emerging from the sides of the infected cell. The turned cell, then began hunting down and further infecting other cells, extending a proboscis of sorts directly into the cell, and turning the victim cell into another example of the infected cell.

Once all cells were infected, and there was no further need for them, the cells began to break down in a method similar to apoptosis, but with a horrid twist. The cells weren't broken down into waste products. They were used to create even more of the virus. Hiruzen, who had leaned back in his chair in astonishment, noticed the viral stain on the glass slide of his microscope grow just a little bit larger.

Was Naruto somehow exposed to this virus? How had he survived? Moreover, what had Naruto become as a result?

Hiruzen had immediately incinerated the glass slide, and cast the ashes into a chemical bath. Where upon said chemicals were then boiled away. And the virions within were still active. Hiruzen decided to as subtly as he could, reintroduce the virions to Naruto's body while he slept. It was a very nearly impossible task, since Naruto seemed to awake at the slightest creak. But Hiruzen managed, watched in utter fascination as the black stained glass slide was engulfed by Naruto's body, and the glass slide was promptly ejected at the nearest wall. Shattering. Naruto had leaped out of bed at that. And Hiruzen beat a hasty retreat through a window.

The Sandaime had no thoughts of even trying to use the virus as a bio-weapon. (Not that Hiruzen would ever think of such a ghastly thing. Danzo meanwhile...) It would more than likely backfire horrendously in everyone's faces. It was better to just leave it, and Naruto alone. That power wasn't meant for humans to have. For it would lead to everyone's destruction.

But that still didn't answer the most alarming question.

_**Was Naruto still Naruto?**_

It seemed so, thankfully. Hiruzen didn't have such a good grasp on philosophy, considering the last philosophical remark he made turned his student Orochimaru, into a man willing to do anything for immortality. But, with how Naruto reacted at the new of his parentage, and the dark secret behind the seal on his stomach, he behaved much like a human would. With shock, rage, and an overwhelming sense of relief.

Hiruzen decided to see what Naruto was doing now, more than likely tearing apart the Hokage Monument in search of his parent's corpses. He reached under his bed, and pulled out the crystal ball that he used for his Telescope Technique. (Contrary to popular belief [read: Naruto] the Telescope Technique was _**NOT**_ used to spy on the female side of the Konoha Hot Springs. At all.)

Hiruzen placed the crystal ball in his lap, and pumped chakra into it.

Naruto could be seen, clambering out of the Yondaime's pupil, (There goes a few thousand ryo to fix it...) carrying a coffin on his shoulder.

Hiruzen's eyes widened significantly. He hadn't imagined Naruto would outright carry his mother's coffin out of the burial chamber.

Naruto climbed up to the top of the Yondaime's head, and lept off, bracing the coffin door to ensure it didn't swing open, and landed somewhere in the Forest of Death, slowing down his descent on the numerous trees there, more than likely to prevent any damage to his mother's skeleton. And as soon as Naruto landed, only kicking up a small cloud of dust and dirt, the Telescope Technique was somehow interfered with, showing only an image of static. Similar to a television set.

"I hope you aren't using the Edo Tensei, Naruto, for your sake at least."

Hiruzen shuddered at how Kushina might react when resurrected that way.

Knowing Naruto, if he did utilize the Edo Tensei, the sacrifice would likely be what Naruto perceived as scum of the earth, civilian serial killers, to the highwaymen that harassed trading caravans.

Hiruzen wasn't so foolish as not to notice Naruto speaking with Mizuki. Mizuki was a suspected spy, and before the Jonin meeting, Hiruzen had assigned a Kage Bunshin, equipped with the Crystal Ball to monitor Mizuki's activities. The conversation with Naruto had clinched it. But it seemed Naruto had sent some type of clone in his stead, said clone entering, obtaining the Forbidden Scroll, and exited within the span of just two minutes. Doubly impressive, considering the Anbu patrol that keep watch over the Scroll.

The clone had met with Mizuki, and killed him. Mizuki couldn't even get a word out. It was violent as well. To the point that the Kage Bunshin had attempted to shield it's eyes from the horror. It was _**NOT**_ a pleasant experience to have that particular memory now. Even now, just thinking about it was enough to make Hiruzen nauseous.

Uh-oh.

'What goes down must come up I suppose.' Thought Hiruzen, as he regurgitated into a nearby waste bin.

Speaking of Danzo, where was he? He hadn't shown up for the last meeting to discuss the village at large. Had Naruto...?

Any further thoughts about his most militant adviser were banished as another wave of nausea rocked him.

(Forest of Death, Naruto's bunker)

Naruto carefully alighted onto the forest floor, making absolutely certain the coffin, as well the skeleton within wasn't damaged in anyway.

The thud that the Bio-Clone had made indicated that Mizuki was now dead, and the Scroll of Seals, copied.

"I trust that Mizuki has expired?"

The Clone nodded.

"Was it violent? Agonizing?"

Once more, the Clone nodded.

A twisted smirk appeared on Naruto's face.

"Good. Return to me."

The Clone stepped forward, and merged with Naruto.

Naruto stepped forward, until he reached the entrance of the bunker, and after some trouble fitting the coffin within the doorway, stepped within.

He promptly descended down the nearest flight of stairs, and gingerly placed the coffin on an autopsy table.

A nearby bookshelf, with the Ancient Tome proudly displayed on a book-stand, Naruto reached over and grabbed the Tome, flitting over to the chapter that concerned resurrection, and how to do so permanently. All the techniques within were designed with no chakra being needed, more than sufficient for his purposes. Most just assumed this Tome was just a collection of mythology and legends. Even Shinobi did as well.

But Naruto knew better. This Tome was written by a scholar from long before chakra, when Man warred with spears, shields, and swords, rather than kunai, shuriken, and Jutsu.

The author was once a citizen of an ancient city-state, the ruins more than likely having dropped off the face of the earth, quite literally, as a disastrous earthquake had triggered a sinkhole to swallow the city-state whole. Presumably, the author was the only survivor.

He had bound all of that great civilization's knowledge of the arcane and occult into this Tome, and proceeded to expire shortly after, as a note to the reader on the very last page of this Tome, told of the author, and the life he led. Something that Naruto wasn't concerned with.

Ah! Here it is! The resurrection method he had been looking for!

The title of it wasn't legible but he only concerned himself with it's steps.

_Step 1: To properly and permanently resurrect someone to the Land of The Living, you must find their earthly remains. _Check.

_Step 2: The soul of the deceased must either be brought back to the world either by an invoking, or if the deceased wanders the Earth a lost spirit, one must contact, and help the soul to where the resurrection will be taking place. _Not check.

Naruto frowned. An invoking? How would he do so? Naruto carefully scanned the Tome, and found what he needed.

_Invoking: An invoking is the bringing of a spirit, or deceased human soul to the physical world through the sacrificial burning of certain reagents. A list of known reagents to produce an invoking effect are listed below._

And miraculously, the reagents were plants, and other things that could easily be found within the Forest of Death itself. But Naruto needn't gather them, as he usually kept a few specimens for research purposes within the bunker. Naruto walked towards the nearest storeroom, a mere ten feet to the left. And gathered the necessary ingredients.

He prepared the reagents as told by the Tome, crushing the plants with a mortar and pestle, as well the bone marrow from the humerus of a recently deceased human, supplied by Mizuki's corpse, currently on another autopsy table just behind him. Naruto snapped the bone in half, and carefully extracted the spongy red material, and placed it within the sacrificial bowl. All that was needed now, was the sigil designed to call to the desired soul.

Naruto drew the sigil on the ground in front of the altar, the sigil itself consisted of the Uzumaki clan swirl, within a drawing of the life the invoked spirit once led, depicting the fall of the Uzumaki clan, Her meeting with Minato, and Naruto's own birth, and finally Kushina's death.

The invoking ritual was complete. All he needed was something from the deceased's body. Naruto walked over, opened the coffin, and very carefully, plucked a single strand of red hair from the skull.

He placed it on top of the sigil. And set aflame the sacrifice. It went up in a cloud of red smoke, and...

Nothing. Nada. Zip. Not even the faintest murmur. Well shit. Kushina's soul was still wandering the earth. More than likely at the place of her death, atop the Hokage Monument.

'Dammit! I was hoping this wouldn't happen!' Naruto sighed internally. He'd have to prepare for the worst then...If Kushina had lost herself...He'd have to end her.

At least it would be a better fate than to wander the earth for all eternity.

"Um...Naruto? What's up with the coffin?"

Anastasia's voice from the doorway drew his attention.

"Erm...It's...It's really difficult to explain." Naruto replied nervously.

Anastasia frowned deeply, She knew Naruto very well. Knew his tells, when he was really hurting deep inside. Something happened to him, and it was more than enough to make her extremely worried.

"Naruto...what happened?" Her voice was tinged with concern.

Naruto momentarily cringed, he really couldn't lie to Anastasia. After all, he learned from her.

"The ol..." Naruto briefly growled. "The _**Hokage **_just told me everything about my past."

His closest friend's eyes widened, and she immediately walked forward, ready to lend a comforting hand if needed.

A sigh from Naruto made audible how tired he was, and he took a seat on the nearest empty autopsy table.

"My _**father**_" Spitting out the words as though they were poison "Was the Yondaime. Minato Namikaze."

Anastasia took a seat next to Naruto, wrapping a slender arm around his shoulder. Naruto briefly looked to her, gratitude shining through in his glowing eyes. He continued.

"And my mother," motioning towards the coffin. "Was Kushina Uzumaki. One of the last members of the Uzumaki Clan."

"You had a clan?" Anastasia questioned. Her arm was just a little bit tighter around him.

Naruto shook his head.

"No. I used to have a clan. Now though...the only person I can truly consider my 'blood' if you will, is you."

Anastasia briefly took on a guilty expression. She was about to speak further, but was interrupted by a raised hand from Naruto.

"No, Anastasia, I don't blame you. The circumstances of your being sealed in me were entirely beyond of our control. Something made the Shinigami seal you away in me, and I have a feeling it'll be a long while before we find out why."

The hooded woman relaxed, and leaned her head onto Naruto's shoulder.

"Do you still consider Kushina your mother?"

Naruto nodded, a brief smile on his face.

"She did sacrifice herself to save me. It was just before you were sealed into me along with the Kyuubi."

"Wait!" Anastasia cried out. Taking her head off Naruto's shoulder. "So it's true? The Kyuubi was sealed into you?"

Naruto nodded once more.

"Yes. And another bomb-shell, my mother was the previous Jinchuuriki."

Anastasia eye's widened again.

"Really? Well, at least it runs in the family." She did her very best to lighten the mood. It was somewhat successful, as Naruto briefly chuckled.

"Yeah, I'd say so. I'm trying to resurrect her." Anything else he would have said was cut off as Anastasia brought his head to face her, a very worried expression on her face.

"Are you sure you want to? What if she's found peace in the afterlife?"

A rueful chuckle was her answer.

"She isn't in any afterlife. She's trapped here. Another lost soul."

A horrified expression took hold on Anastasia's face.

"The invoking failed then?" A certain degree of disbelief was evident in her voice.

Naruto pointed to the used ritual bowl, still charred.

"Yeah it did...her soul is likely wandering where she died. I'm heading over there soon."

Anastasia swiftly gained a determined expression.

"Then I'm coming with you!"

The hooded blonde looked at her, confused.

"Why?"

The hooded woman looked at Naruto, a slight smile on her face.

"Naruto, answer me this, who helped me adjust to this new world?"

Naruto answered.

"I did."

Anastasia's smile grew.

"Who helped me let go of my creator, and let me gain my own identity?"

Further confused by Anastasia's questioning, Naruto pointed to himself.

Her smile was a mile wide.

"And who am I going to be with, for all eternity?"

Naruto reacted appropriately.

"Wait, what...?" He was silenced by Anastasia kissing him. His eye's widened, before Anastasia prodding at his lips with her tongue reminded him of what was going on.

He attempted to respond to the kiss, but Anastasia pulled back suddenly, a teasing grin on her face.

"Let's continue this after we find your mom, okay?"

Naruto nodded slowly, still dumbfounded by the kiss.

Anastasia grin widened, and she chastely pecked Naruto on the cheek, then headed out to the bunker exit.

Naruto sat still for a second and a half, before lightly rubbing his lips, and his cheek, a smile growing on his face.

"Yeah...I guess, at the end of it all, I'll always have you." He mumbled to himself. He glanced back at the coffin, where his mother's earthly remains were, before heading off to the bunker exit, idly consuming Mizuki's corpse. He didn't want him to rot, after all, it's perfectly good biomass.

**(Hokage Monument)**

Naruto and Anastasia landed on the top of the Hokage Monument, each creating their own crater underneath. Naruto swayed slightly, a hand coming to his forehead. Anastasia placed a hand on his shoulder, attempting to keep him stable.

"Easy...you feeling alright?" Anastasia questioned. Naruto's spiritual sensitivity often manifested as headaches or minor disorientation, but never enough to make it difficult for him to stand still. Whatever he was sensing, it was powerful.

Naruto groaned lightly as he attempted to massage the pain away. It was a spiritual pain, not a physical one, and it usually hurt a _**lot**_. This...was agonizing. It was dark, extremely so. Powerful, easily capable of going toe-to-toe with his own soul. They needed to be careful...

"There...I remember it...the Yondaime had these, shelters of sorts...he took me to one of them when the Kyuubi started attacking. Follow me."

The pain had passed, and Naruto began to jog (What most would refer to as all-out sprinting...) to where he remembered the safe house to be, Anastasia following closely behind.

The two never noticed the red-haired spirit following them.

**(Minato's safe house)**

The safe house appeared as most neglected buildings did. With overgrowing vines crawling up the cracked stone, and crumbling arches above the doorway. The building itself wasn't too special, with the typical architecture of most Konoha buildings, with white wooden panels, now rotted to a dark brown, along with orangish-yellow roof shingles, the roof itself capped with a dome. All these features were decrepit, and in disrepair, with the roof shingles having all but fallen off the building entirely, and the domed roof had a few holes in it.

The door blocking entry into the safe house was somehow, in pristine condition. It was more than likely some type of security seal that kept the door from rotting. Any other seals that would have preserved the building had likely faded away with time. Naruto walked up, and kicked the door down with all his might, reducing it to mere sawdust. A chuckle from Anastasia had him turn around, an amused expression was on her face, clearly asking 'Was that really necessary?'. Naruto shrugged in response to the unspoken question, and entered, Anastasia entering as well.

The interior of the building was much like the exterior. All of it old. The wallpaper had peeled off in numerous places, and old picture frames hung at an angle. Naruto closely observed the pictures within, most of them were of Kushina and Minato. Of note, was another much larger picture, framed inside a display case mounted on the wall. Kushina was seen heavily pregnant, a wide smile on her face. Minato was behind her, arms wrapped around her, locking over her stomach. Naruto lightly traced a finger against the glass.

"You still doing okay?" Anastasia questioned from behind him, her voice tinged with worry. A soft hand had been placed on his shoulder. Naruto placed his own hand on top, and lightly squeezed. The gesture lasted for maybe four seconds before Naruto gently took her hand off his shoulder.

"Let's keep searching, whatever presence I felt, it has to be around here."

Anastasia nodded, and spoke up.

"Should we split up? We can cover more ground."

Naruto briefly thought it over. Anastasia was as of now, incapable of directly attacking spirits. She would have to combat them with conventional means, like iron, or salt. Unfortunately, the two didn't carry around fireplace pokers, or salt shakers on their persons, so if she was to combat a malevolent ghost or similar entity, she would need to find something made of iron nearby.

"Lets. But we shouldn't stray too far from one another. If whatever spirit I felt appears, remember...You'll need something made of iron to fight it." He took on a pleading expression. "Whatever you do, just please...be careful."

His hooded companion nodded, and sent a smile his way. The two went off in opposite directions, Naruto to explore the west wing, and Anastasia the east.

Naruto never felt that red-haired spirit follow him.

**(West Wing)**

'Lot of dust here. Cobwebs. Still no sign of Kushina. I'm starting to get a little worried.' Naruto thought, It was a little concerning how that dark presence just vanished, like it knew it was detected.

Most ghosts were either repeating the events of their lives, or deaths for all eternity, or deteriorate to the point they become hostile, and vengeful. A rare few kept their intelligence, and were able to stave off the effects of being trapped in the mortal world. Even rarer still, were the spirits who could fight, and conceal themselves from detection.

That dark entity was powerful, and was more than likely Kushina. He'd have to really keep an eye out. In life, Kushina was feared the world round for her taijutsu prowess, and her chakra chains could impale, restrain, and basically extend her attacking range to just over twenty feet. Only rarely would she utilize the power of the Kyuubi, and it served to make her even more powerful, ripping into her foes with claws, or pummeling them into oblivion. The Kyuubi was no longer within her, obviously, but she was a member of the Uzumaki clan, renowned for their extremely potent life force.

Her strength in life more than likely translated into death as well.

Naruto turned round a corner, and entered the first door in sight. It seemed somewhat sparse, but something definitely drew his attention.

A baby's crib, and mobile.

Naruto very carefully entered, and walked over to the crib.

The crib itself was, like the rest of the building, falling apart. The small basket in where the infant would sleep and rest in had lost one of it's supports, and hung loosely from the remaining one. A small blanket within demanded his attention.

Naruto gingerly picked it up, and noticed a name stitched into the orange fabric.

_Naruto _

A sigh was drawn from his lips.

All of this...represented a life he could have led. A life where he had a loving mother. A house to come home to. Someone who would love him unconditionally.

Why then, did he lead the life of a social pariah, hated by some, and feared by all? How was that fair? What had he ever done to deserve such a fate?

Ah...there it was...that pain deep inside...that emptiness...masterfully concealed, and kept secret from even his most trusted of friends. Naruto's reasoning was simple. It was his problem, and he should be the one to deal with it. He wouldn't toss his burdens onto another.

Naruto had leaned against a nearby wall, and slid down until he was seated on the floor. Still staring at the little orange blanket.

A faint drumming made him snap his head up. Naruto got up, and began following that strange noise into another room. The source seemed to be a small toy drum on the ancient bed within. The knockers attached to strings were slowly being struck against the drum itself, producing the noise.

A strange yet oddly soothing feminine hum reverberated throughout the room, the door slamming shut, and locking. The hum grew louder still, until it sounded like someone was right next to his ear. Naruto whirled around, attempting to locate the source, finding nothing.

A feeling of someone trailing their hand across his shoulders made him stiffen. Then an all too familiar voice.

"_My Naruto...It's been so long since I last saw you...you feel so...tormented...did the villagers...?" _The voice of his mother, ethereal and fleeting.

"They gave in to their fear, and hatred. Some would attack me. I killed them." Naruto whispered out. He could clearly feel Kushina now. She was _powerful_. And _**dark.**_ Powerful enough that the entirety of the safe house could be under her control with just a thought. He could clearly feel a hate within her, a cold, numbing hate, but for what? Konoha? Minato? Unless he got answers from her, he had to tread with the utmost of caution.

"_You're getting tense...preparing for a fight against something you know you could never defeat...not as you are now...but you have nothing to fear from me my son...I gave my life to protect your own..." _A light gasp from his left had him turn, and again Kushina wasn't there.

"_I see now...you're planning on returning me to the land of the living..."_

"Do you not wish to be alive again? Or do you desire peace? I can free you...ensure you get to Paradise..." Her chuckling stopped him from saying more.

"_And why, my dear son...would I want to leave you? For sixteen years, I never knew what happened to you...I was so worried..." _A pair of spectral arms wrapped around his neck from behind. _"But I've found you...And I'll never leave you again...after all...what are mothers for...?" _Kushina suddenly appeared in front of him.

Her form was to be expected.

The only thing that had color was her hair and eyes. The former was different from what Naruto remembered, her hair in life had was a fiery red, the blue hair pin that kept those red strands from her face . In death however...It was blood red, and seemed to be lightly glowing. Her eyes remained the same shade as in life, blue-gray. But much like her hair, it glowed, with a great amount of power, in the darkness of the room, they were much like spotlights.

Her overall body was translucent, and her skin was a pale gray. She seemed to be wearing the same clothes she wore when she died,

"_For sixteen long years, I searched and searched for you...but now...you found me...I want nothing more than to be at your side..." _She gained a slightly somber expression. _"You've lived on without a mother...for the first four years of your life, you had to raise yourself...to learn how to survive in the world...You were oh so lonely then..." _She placed a ghostly hand on his cheek. _"But I swear...you will **never** feel that pain anymore. Because, I'll always be with you..."_

She suddenly dashed forward, her form becoming a dark gray smoke, and began to stream in through Naruto's mouth. The hooded blonde coughed and hacked, his own soul attempting to oust the intruder, but it failed, and ultimately, Kushina had found a new residence. His own body.

A relieved feminine sigh from within his mind confirmed it. Kushina was now inhabiting Naruto.

_'Finally...somewhere to rest...Oh. That's right...the Fox...'_

Another voice, it seemed masculine, and very deep. Deeper a sound than humans could produce. And it was **angry.**

'**RAAGGH! KUSHINA!'**

_'Nice to meet you again furball.'_

**'DON'T CALL ME THAT! YOU'RE SUPPOSED TO BE DEAD!'**

_'Well I am dead. Not for much longer though. You can thank Naruto for that.'_

'Oh gee. Thanks Mom, for putting me under the spotlight.'

_'No problem!'_

The masculine voice from within uttered a guttural growl.

**'Honestly...I wake up, and the first thing I see is the woman who had me bound in chains, and pinned to a ball of stone by sharpened wooden pillars. Tell me Kushina, just how much more suffering do you intend to put me through?'**

_'Well I'm sorry. Don't look at me that way. I really am. Being dead gave me a new view on the world, and made me rethink some of the things I did to you. They were wrong. And I truly hope you can forgive me.'_

'Okay...enough with the tenderness. Let's try and resurrect you. If it fails, I have a few alternatives.'

Naruto could feel Kushina frown in confusion.

_'Alternatives?'_

'You'll see.'

With that said, Naruto made to exit the room, only to double back and observe the toy drum on the bed. After a few moments, Naruto grabbed it, and pocketed it. He had a feeling it had a lot of sentimental value to him. Naruto then exited the room, and called out for Anastasia. She came out from a few doors further down the hallway. She made her way to him, and began talking.

"Hey Naruto. You find her yet?"

_'Wait a minute...'_

Uh-oh.

_'Naruto. Who is that?'_

'A very good friend.'

_'How good?'_

'Not now.'

Anastasia snapped her fingers next to Naruto's ears. He had yet to react in any way. Had Kushina...?

Naruto jerked, and he locked eyes with Anastasia.

"You look like you have a lot of questions so I'll just answer them. Yes, Kushina is residing in me. Yes, She agreed to be resurrected."

Anastasia blinked a few times.

"Well. I guess we should head back then."

Naruto nodded, and made to exit the derelict safe house, Anastasia following behind. Once outside, Naruto and Anastasia leaped back to the bunker.

(Naruto's bunker)

The hooded duo landed just outside the entrance, and after dealing with a few Brawlers who were a little bit excited at their return, entered, and returned to where Kushina's earthly remains were located.

_'Seriously?! They couldn't even give me a proper embalming!?'_

'Believe me, Kushina, I was less than pleased as well.'

**'So your planning on putting her back in her body? Good luck. All that's left is bones.'**

'You don't think I already know that? If the resurrection attempt fails, as I said before I have alternatives.'

_'I imagine said alternatives are to put me in a body split off from your own?'_

Naruto sighed mentally.

'If it comes to that, yes. I'd much like to bring you back as human as I can, but if I can't, you'll have to inhabit a body similar to my own and Anastasia's.'

Kushina giggled lightly then.

_'Naruto as I believe I said before, I don't care how I have to do it, but I'm going to be back with you. I've already lost some of my humanity. It'd be worth losing it entirely for you.'_

The Kyuubi started making exaggerated gagging noises.

**'Eugh! Too mushy for my likes!'**

'Fox, shut up.'

The internal conversation having ended, Naruto got around to the resurrection ritual. The sigil used to in an effort to invoke Kushina's soul would be needed here, and her remains would have to be placed across it. A chant would be spoken, and, fingers crossed, Kushina's body would be restored and ready for her to inhabit once more. Hopefully.

Naruto grabbed the Tome once more, and continued through the book until he found the section on resurrection.

_Resurrection: The act of bringing the dead back to life. This Tome only possesses one resurrection ritual, and the earthly remains of the deceased **MUST** **NOT **undergone any severe decomposition. **IF **the body has decayed to the point that bone is visible, or is outright skeletonized, the deceased **CANNOT **be brought back to life._

Naruto growled deeply in his throat, and resisted the urge to tear the book apart. He instead, took out his rage on a nearby wall, punching through to his elbow.

"**SON OF A BITCH!"**

_'Naruto, why are you getting so angry? I don't mind being like you.'_

'That's just it! I want to preserve what's left of your humanity!'

_'Why do I need to keep repeating myself Naruto? I lost a good portion of my humanity just by having to wander as a spirit for so long. It isn't good enough to just be a voice in your head. I want to be able to be with you in the physical world.'_

Naruto felt his rage cool as Kushina spoke. He had wanted to keep her as human as he could because he wasn't sure she could handle the prospect of immortality like he had.

_'Naruto, I've been an ageless, undying spirit for over sixteen years. I can handle living forever. Especially if it's with you.'_

'You're kind of obsessed with me aren't you?'

He could feel Kushina shrug.

_'You're my son. I don't care if you're not human. I birthed you, and that will always make you my son in my eyes. Now then, let me into one of those Bio-Clones.'_

'Alright. What should I do with your bones?'

_'I guess you can try and extract DNA from what's left of the cells inside. Use it as a template for my new body. I'll see if I can consume what's left.'_

'Okay then.'

Naruto walked over to where Kushina's bones were, and extended a single finger on his right hand. The finger lengthened and narrowed until the tip was smaller than most hypodermic needles. The transformed finger then hardened, becoming a matte black. Naruto placed the tip against the femur, and pushed until the organic needle penetrated.

It seemed the cells themselves within the bone had all died, but the DNA was still viable. The conditions within that burial chamber, with the lack of exposure to the outside world, the cool air, and the lack of moisture within slowed the rate of decay of the DNA. Within those conditions, DNA would likely remain readable, and thus, able to be utilized by him or Anastasia.

He recovered DNA from within the femur, and began using it to create a clone in the image of Kushina.

The right side of his body began to move away from the left, until it split off entirely, momentarily becoming a mass of black and red fluid, in a large puddle on the floor. Less than a second later, the puddle began to form the shape of two legs, then the hips, the chest, and lastly the head, until a mirror image of Kushina in life stood before him.

Unlike the other Bio-Clones, who were essentially true copies of himself, down to their very personality, this style of Bio-Clone was empty. Lacking a consciousness. It would remain stock still unless he gave it orders, or transferred a soul into it.

Naruto opened his mouth, and a dark gray smoke began billowing out, and into the Bio-Clone. Once the smoke had left him entirely, the Bio-Clone shuddered briefly, before opening it's eyes.

Blue-gray. And a smile spread across her lips, as she launched herself at Naruto, quite literally knocking him to the floor. Kushina began nuzzling her cheek against his.

A pleased sigh from Kushina made evident how happy she was to be in a body after so long.

"Thank you Naruto!" She said, still nuzzling him. Her body was pressing against his, and he could distinctly feel the curvature and softness of her bosom against his chest.

He awkwardly patted her on the head.

"I'm glad you're back too, but could you please get off me? We'll continue with the hugging and whatever you want to do later, okay?"

Kushina nodded, her hair swinging along, as she hopped off him, and walked over to the remains of her former body. She placed a hand against one of the bones, and a look of concentration appeared on her face. After a little while, she had managed to manifest a few tendrils that penetrated into the bones, and began converting them into their base components. After just a few seconds, the coffin was empty.

Naruto couldn't resist the opportunity to try and crack a joke.

"Huh. So the second thing you do after coming back to life is to eat your own corpse. Noted."

Kushina looked back, an impassive look on her face.

"Well, It's not like I could just leave myself to rot, could I? Besides, they're my bones. I can do whatever I want with them.

Naruto shrugged.

"I suppose you can. Well, now what?"

And a bright smile on Kushina's face was his answer. So was her launching herself at him. Again.

Why did he know so many women who's primary form of greeting was to hug-tackle him?

**(A few hours later)**

Life in the bunker had returned to normal. Or at least as normal as you can get with giant mutant dogs prowling the hallways.

At least they seemed to like Kushina. A lot. To the point that she would be dog-piled, quite literally by a horde of over-affectionate Brawlers.

It still baffled Naruto how a creature that was designed to kill could be so friendly.

After mulling how Brawlers seemed to tap into some hidden well of friendliness when around people Naruto liked, He had decided to read up on more of that Tome.

He only ever really read it when he was either bored, wanted to research a supernatural entity, or do something that required the arcane knowledge hidden within.

He had decided to read the note left by the Author of the Tome, and what he saw was rather surprising.

Apparently, the ancient civilization that the Author hailed from had collapsed, and the Author was one of the few remaining survivors. He, and his daughter, Kaguya, had traveled across the sea, and found a new continent awaiting them. The continent was inhabited by a war-like peoples, and it seemed that war was the status quo there, as the Author mentions how peace was a foreign, and outright laughable idea.

Wait a minute. That sounds familiar.

His suspicions were confirmed as the Author identified where his ship had landed as, called by the natives, the Land of Fire.

Well, that at least explains the Tome's presence here. The Tome itself was likely cast off as a book of mythology and legend, and archived as something of minor historical significance.

The Author continued, mentioning a tree deity the natives seemed to worship called the 'Shinju'.

Now why did that seem so familiar?

**'The Tome you've found is ancient. Dating back to before the Rikudou Sennin.'**

Naruto blinked once as the Kyuubi made itself known.

'Rikudou Sennin? The one who introduced chakra to humanity? _THAT_ Rikudou Sennin?'

The Kyuubi growled lowly. Wasn't it's host supposed to be smart?

**'Yes that Rikudou Sennin you blonde dolt!'**

'Well you don't need to be so rude. I was only making sure.'

**'Grrrrr...'**

'Anyway, you were saying?'

The fox calmed itself, and continued.

**'Who ever wrote this Tome lived before my creator did...' **The Kyuubi was cut off by Naruto's outcry.

'Your creator?!'

The Kyuubi roared, and yelled out.

**'DON'T INTERRUPT ME!**

'Ow! Okay, okay!'

Ignoring Naruto's desperate attempts to relieve his sudden headache, The Kyuubi continued on.

_'_**Anyway...my creator was the son of a woman called Kaguya Ootsutsuki. ****She is more than likely the Kaguya mentioned in the Tome, and thus, this Tome was written by her own father. This knowledge is extremely powerful Naruto. ****It predates even me.**** Keep it safe, and out of hands that would use it for ****their own selfish agendas.'**

'Trust me, I know. This Tome is already protected by the Brawlers, and those Infected plants. I have a few ideas to add another line of defense around the bunker.'

The Kyuubi hummed lightly, before falling silent.

'Fox?'

He was answered by extremely loud snoring.

'Of course you'd fall asleep.'

And with that, Naruto decided to get some rest as well. After all, tomorrow would be the day he began his first mission with his new team.

Hopefully, it wasn't something tedious or menial.

**(A few weeks later...)**

It was tedious and menial.

Painting fences.

Pulling weeds.

Walking dogs.

And a metric ton of utter bullshit.

Of course, after the first D-rank, (Which made him consider infecting cats, considering how that damn Tora quite nearly peeled his face off) Naruto only ever sent Bio-Clones in his stead.

Pulling himself away from the incredibly disappointing D-rank missions, life back in the bunker had gained a new breath of life. Kushina was a cheerful woman to be around, almost always smiling and laughing. It seemed those years of wandering a lost soul hadn't done any permanent damage. He'd still monitor her, of course. But other than that, Kushina and Anastasia had very quickly become good friends, and when Kushina wasn't busy quite literally hanging off Naruto's shoulders, she would usually be with Anastasia, the latter helping Kushina become accustomed to her new body, as well introducing her to shape-shifting.

Of note was when Kushina asked how Mikoto was doing. Naruto offered to take her to see her old friend, and along the way, told Kushina of what happened to the rest of her clan. Needless to say, Kushina was shocked at what Itachi did, and thanked Naruto for saving Mikoto's life.

He had advised Kushina to conceal her identity for the time being, (It was one thing to shape-shift, it was another thing to be walking around with someone who was supposed to be _dead_) and Kushina donned a simple black hooded cloak that obstructed her entire figure from view.

Mikoto's reaction was to die for.

_**(Flashback)**_

_The Uchiha Matriarch hummed a cheerful tune as she went about her daily chores. Laundry, cleaning the house, the like. It was more than a little lonely, here, where so many of her fellow clan members lived, slept, and worked. But Saiyuri certainly helped to stave off that loneliness. Her daughter had recovered remarkably well from the traumatic event, and she knew that Naruto was to thank for that. _

_She never really got the opportunity to truly thank Naruto for protecting her. The young man was a godsend. She had genuinely thought she was going to die that fateful night. _

_Thinking of Naruto, the hooded blonde sometimes reminded her of her late best friend Kushina. It was more than they simply shared the same clan, it was something deeper. But what? A day before the Kyuubi attacked, Kushina had mentioned her soon-to-born son's name as going to begin with an 'N'. So did that mean Naruto was her...?_

_No. It couldn't be. If it was true, then why did the Sandaime say Kushina and her unborn son both perished that night? Had he lied? If so, why? Mikoto was, for all intents and purposes, the boy's de facto godmother. If her son had survived, and, as luck would have it, later save her own life, why wasn't she informed as to Naruto's parentage?_

_Any further thoughts on Naruto were banished as someone rhythmically knocked on the front door. Putting down the clothes iron, Mikoto walked over to the door and opened it._

_And as though summoned by her, Naruto was there. His hood was pulled down for a change, revealing his bright as the sun, spiky blonde hair. Those strands of molten gold swayed to and fro in the light breeze outside. _

_Mikoto repressed the blush threatening to come to her cheeks. Naruto was an incredibly handsome young man, and would have a good career as a male model if he so chose. _

_She coughed lightly into her hand, and greeted him._

"_Hello Naruto. Please come in."_

_He nodded, and stepped in, Mikoto taking a seat upon a nearby couch, and patted the seat next to her. Naruto sat down, and began speaking._

"_Hello Mikoto. How are you today?"_

_Mikoto smiled, and replied._

"_I'm doing okay. I must ask though, why are you here? Shouldn't you be with your team right now?"_

_Naruto briefly quivered in barely suppressed rage._

"_I'm not a big fan of D-ranks. **At all.**" Mikoto lightly giggled at how Naruto reacted. It was a rare thing to see Naruto actually seem angry or well...to see him express any emotion. Ever. Her motherly side worried sick, someone so young shouldn't be so cold and stoic, while her darker side, the one that had slaughtered hundreds of enemy shinobi in the name of Konoha, recognized Naruto as a fellow killer. One whose body count was rapidly rising, and soon to surpass her own. _

_Mikoto did wonder just how many Naruto killed to get such a dark and cold chakra. While Naruto was distracted by thoughts of D-ranks, Mikoto activated her Sharingan, and peered at his chakra network._

_And could barely repress the gasp of shock._

_His chakra was **black.** A black so deep and endless it threatened to trap Mikoto forever. Idly, she remembered a saying she like._

_**'Gaze into the abyss, and the abyss gazes back.'**_

"_Um...Mikoto? Why are you looking at me with your Sharingan?"_

_An embarrassed squeak tore itself from her throat. _

"_Oh! Erm...Um...I was just..."_

_Naruto silenced her stuttering by placing a finger on her lips. A faint blush came to her cheeks._

"_Let me guess. You were curious." She nodded. "You know a saying I like?" Mikoto shook her head lightly. "Curiosity killed the cat. Curiosity also killed a lot of people. I'm just warning you Mikoto." Those blue-silver eyes bore holes into her skull. "I've killed many people. Most begged for mercy that was never given. Some spat out hateful words that were their last. I can't afford to have my darkest secrets made known. I saved your life. And over time, I began to consider you a friend." The glare lightened. "Whatever you saw...keep it to yourself. I've gone on without having to kill someone I liked. Please...don't make me start now." Mikoto slowly nodded, and Naruto pulled back his finger._

"_So...all those stories people tell about you...they're true?" She desperately wished it wasn't. The White Demon of Konoha was a bogeyman. Something that parents told their children at night to keep them from being disobedient. If the White Demon of Konoha was a title that was given to Naruto justly...Then it confirmed her worst fears._

_A nod was her answer._

"_Yes. Well...most of them are true. I wouldn't kill children unless I had no other choice. And I certainly don't 'eat' people. It's far more sophisticated than that."_

_Mikoto couldn't believe what was being said. Naruto had killed. And he only graduated two days before. _

"_H-How old were you when...?"_

_He frowned and answered._

"_Around four. Since then, the pile of bodies left in my wake has swelled to just over five hundred. Obviously, not all of them were from Konoha._

_The Uchiha Matriarch swallowed, and nervously replied._

"_I-I see. Why are you telling me this?" A very tired sigh from Naruto banished the trepidation she felt._

"_You would have found out soon enough. I know you've been digging into my past, trying to find out who my parents were. It makes sense, since another Uzumaki was your greatest friend.'_

_Mikoto sucked in a breath._

"_You know Kushina is your...?"_

_He nodded._

"_I've known for a while now. And that's why I'm here."_

_Mikoto was slightly confused._

"_You came to me...so you could know more about her?"_

_He scoffed lightly._

"_No. I've done something everyone had thought impossible." He turned to a corner of the room, and nodded slightly. A form shimmered into existence. _

_The Uchiha Matriarch jumped a bit. She hadn't noticed that person there! No one she knew was capable of hiding from the Sharingan! Unless...it was..._

_The figure spoke, and Mikoto tried not to burst into tears upon hearing it's voice. **Kushina.**_

"_It's been a very long time, hasn't it Miko-chan?"_

_Mikoto's eyes began to water, and her voice quaked with emotion._

"_K-K-Kushina?"_

_The figure threw back it's hood, and Mikoto couldn't help herself. She leapt at Kushina and hugged her tightly, tears now freely flowing onto Kushina's shoulders._

_Kushina smiled bittersweetly. The two were the very best of friends in Academy. Even though Mikoto was older than her, the two were almost entirely inseparable. She wrapped her own arms around Mikoto in return._

"_It's okay Miko-chan...I'm back. For good."_

_Mikoto responded by beginning to sob, but it was a happy one. The two women kept hugging for nearly five minutes, until Mikoto let go, her eyes red and puffy from the exertion of her tears. Occasionally she would gasp slightly, seeming ready to overflow with tears once more. She turned to Naruto, who had turned away, hands in the pockets of his jacket. Naruto seemed to notice that her attention was drawn to him, and turned to face her._

_When Mikoto spoke, her voice would sometimes quiver lightly, but the sheer gratitude was nearly impossible not to notice._

"_Y-You brought her back? How? The only resurrection technique I know of is the Edo Tensei, but you didn't use that. I can tell."_

_Naruto responded, his voice suddenly grave._

"_I did so with the knowledge provided from long before humans learned to use chakra. I had to find her lost soul, which had wandered the earth since her death."_

_'What kind of knowledge lets someone permanently resurrect another?' Mikoto thought to herself. But then immediately ground that train of thought to a halt. She would **NOT **look this gift horse in the mouth._

_Naruto directed the two to the couch, and sat across from the two on another couch._

"_It's good to see you so happy Mikoto. You as well, Kushina. Kami knows how much pain you've gone through in your lives. Anyway..." Naruto's expression once more became serious. "Mikoto. I need to know now." He made eye contact with her, making her feel as though she was locked in place. "When the time comes, Are you going to choose Konoha, or me?"_

_'What does he mean?' Mikoto thought to herself. Was Naruto planning on leaving Konoha? If so, Mikoto certainly wouldn't stop him. This damn village was nowhere near worthy of having someone so powerful working for them. _

_Mikoto knew that Danzo had threatened to eliminate the entirety of her clan, even the ones who refused to co-operate in the coup attempt. And how Hiruzen had done all but nothing to stop him. If Hiruzen had Danzo at the very least imprisoned, tensions would have likely relaxed between the Clan and the village, even if it was only by a small amount. If Naruto was leaving, she would join him. Saiyuri would likely come without a moment's hesitation._

_Whatever life she would lead with Naruto...It had to be better than here, living in the place where her clan was slaughtered, and where those damn old crones the Hokage called 'advisers' planning on trying to marry off Mikoto and her daughter to some pig in man's clothing, just to get more Uchiha._

_"You." It was just one word. It was that needed to be said._

_Naruto smiled, and spoke again._

"_Good. You should tell Saiyuri what I have told you. We leave when an opportunity opens. I have a feeling one will come soon. I also offer you a place at my residence, if you so choose. It's in the Forest of Death, however, so if you want to come, I'll have to guide you there. It's in the most dangerous area of the Forest."_

Mikoto nodded. And accepted the offer to live in Naruto's abode. This place, while spacious, was lonely and only served to keep reminding her of her clansmen, who once led their lives here.

_It would soon be the best decision she ever made."_

_**(End of Flashback)**_

Like Kushina, Mikoto was warmly received there. She had told Saiyuri of Naruto's past and his secrets, and after Saiyuri vented her frustrations at the village with a good round of angry katon jutsu at the nearest training post, reducing it to a mere pile of ashes, Saiyuri had come as well.

It came at a surprise to Naruto just how used to the new residents he had gotten. He had expected a few moments of awkwardness between his new tenants, but it seemed that everyone just got along well. Saiyuri enjoyed being with Anastasia and Kushina, and seemed to consider part of her family, likely she regarded them as aunts. Mikoto had also hit it off with Anastasia, and the trio of Kushina, Anastasia, and Mikoto would often have fun with Naruto, teasing him, and overall, just trying to get the hooded blonde to blush. They failed, mostly. It seemed Naruto was vulnerable when all three began hanging off him, his cheeks would turn slightly pink, with all the supple, soft, feminine flesh pressed onto him.

Naruto wasn't certain to consider it a curse, or a gift from the heavens. He wasn't a pervert mind you. Indeed, he was a chivalrous man. Of special note was of how fiercely protective he was of his allies. Naruto was comparable to an alpha wolf guarding it's pack, with teeth bared back in a snarl, and a bestial growl emitting from it's mouth.

It only served to further endear him to the women.

But, beyond that, Naruto had quickly gotten bored out of his mind, often threatening to lead an attack on Konoha if only to alleviate the sheer **boredom **of the D-ranks. In an effort to lower the rate at which his body count increased, he instead, got around to making original evolutions with the Blacklight Virus.

Some worked fantastically. Like the organic jet turbines.

Oh yes. Naruto had every memory that Anastasia had collected over that 18-day period in Manhattan, including the knowledge of that world, and of the extremely advanced technology there. Something that interested him greatly was those jet-powered fighter craft. Naruto had slaved away at attempting to recreate something similar with the Blacklight Virus, eventually ending up with a system that took air in, converted it to methane by combining the elements Carbon and Hydrogen, (By first separating the former from Carbon Dioxide, and the latter by taking water, in plentiful supply with the numerous water sources around, such as the small rivers, creeks, and if necessary, the Konoha Hot Springs and harvesting the Hydrogen from it, allowing the Oxygen to return to the atmosphere.) then taking the newly-created methane, placing it into an organic combustion pod, and igniting it via an electrical discharge. **(For what the wings look like, go to your search engine, and type in "Alien Planet Skewer".)**

Anastasia was shocked at how Naruto managed to recreate such an advanced technology only by the memories of those she herself had consumed, and asked Naruto how long he had worked at it.

Two weeks. Nonstop. Anastasia was impressed. She herself would have likely taken at least a month or so just to come up with the method of creating methane. Apparently it was true. The student often surpassed the master. But most never thought the student would then start teaching the former master just after.

Within a day, Kushina and Anastasia were now capable of organic powered flight. Kushina had wondered why Naruto had gone to so much trouble just to fly, when he could have just consumed a bird and gain it's wings, but the answer Naruto gave her quickly dissuaded her of such notions.

"_Us? Fly with a bird's wings? You have about as much chance of doing that as a civilian would have against a Bijuu. Here's the thing. Birds are usually light relative to their body size. Their bones are hollow to help lighten the load even more so. We don't have that luxury. We're several hundred pounds heavier than the average human, at the very least, and at our heaviest, could reduce a man's foot to bone powder and gristle just by stepping on it."_

Kushina couldn't argue with him. Naruto was an expert in multiple fields of science, not because he consumed people, but because he actually went and learned. He knew more about the nature of reality than most people knew about themselves. It was all incredibly fascinating to Kushina, atoms, molecules, biology, astronomy, the list went on and on.

Science was a very rare thing in the Ninja World. Primarily because humanity was far too busy fighting wars, and essentially threatening to commit suicide. Before she was reunited with Naruto, Kushina had just accepted the world as it was, and did nothing to try and keep from being drawn into that infinite cycle of war, hate, and death. Now though...Kushina could easily see why Naruto cared so little for the majority of the human race.

Getting away from that rather depressing revelation about humanity, Kushina and Anastasia were swiftly becoming more intimate with Naruto, the former beginning to chastely kiss him on the lips, and Anastasia outright making out with him. The two had come to an agreement. When Naruto was ready to lose his virginity, **(His own personal virginity, Naruto has, technically, had sex numerous times thanks to the memories of the people he consumed. He knows what it's like for both genders as well.) **He would have a threesome for his first personal sexual experience.

And as luck would have it, Naruto had stated he wouldn't mind being truly intimate with either. The reasoning for Kushina being, that, while he still loved her, he couldn't love her as a _mother_. He had gone on for too long without a real parental figure in his life. Anastasia **(Before she changed to Anastasia, mind you.) **Was the closest thing to a parent he had. But that was it. Closest thing. And close just wasn't enough. Kushina had momentarily lost the wind in her sails at that, but soon caught a tempestuous gust, and stated that she wouldn't mind having Naruto as a lover. Any romantic feelings she had for Minato shriveled and died when the idiot sacrificed Naruto, and sealed the Kyuubi away within him. Much like Naruto, Kushina would take the utmost pleasure in tearing the man's soul apart if she ever encountered him again.

Thoughts about that bastard Minato were quickly banished as Kushina and Anastasia huddled outside Naruto's personal room. Naruto had grown somewhat uncomfortable with having so many people sharing his bed, and restricted such an event from 12:00 Noon, to 6:00 PM. The four women would occasionally succeed in convincing Naruto to let them all sleep in the same bed, **(Granted, it required the four of them to use the **_**Puppy Eyes **_**technique in unison, but it wasn't a guaranteed success, as Naruto was growing more resistant to it.) **But still they honored his request.

It was currently midnight, and Anastasia and Kushina had hatched a rather wicked plan.

_Step 1: Enter Naruto's room._

_Step 2: Get naked._

_Step 3: Get in bed with Naruto._

_Step 4: Wake him._

_Final Step: Give him the night of his life._

Simplicity itself.

The two silently turned the knob, revealing Naruto's sleeping form.

He was currently on his back, one arm underneath his pillow, the other on his chest. He had chosen to don proper sleeping attire, only wearing a pair of black boxers. His toned chest was revealed. He had a lean yet built form, with the muscles of his chest occasionally rippling as he moved about in his sleep. His abdominal muscles were visible, an 8-pack.

The two women were rather eager to get the festivities started, and entered.

**(Lemon starts now! Hide from your family now! ****If you don't want to see this, skip ahead to the next set of parentheses!****)**

Tendrils swarmed around the two women's bodies, and once they had receded back into their bodies, they were now entirely nude. Anastasia had a lean and slender body, with a thin waist. Yet, she still possessed a larger-than-average bosom, and her hips were full. Kushina was like her, slender, but possessed a more athletic form, with visible abs on her flat stomach. Her bosom and hips were appropriate to her petite form, but did nothing to detract from her own beauty.

The two women crawled into bed onto opposite sides of Naruto, and pressed themselves against him. He roused, and awoke. He seemed to notice there were two forms pressing into his own, and turned to his left. Anastasia was there, fully nude, and with a sultry grin on her face. Naruto blinked once, then turned to his right to see Kushina there, with the same grin. Naruto blinked again, then looked back up at the ceiling and spoke.

"When I said I wouldn't mind being intimate with you two, I wasn't imagining this would happen so soon." He didn't sound angry, only slightly surprised. Anastasia responded first.

"Well, We can see your getting a little stressed with the D-ranks, so..." drawing out the word. "We came up with a plan to help...ease your tension." Her grin became wider once she finished speaking. And Kushina spoke next.

"Oh yes, Naruto..." Saying his name with a seductive undertone. "All we need to know is...will you have us?"

Naruto sighed lightly, but it was one of amusement, he then answered.

"Alright fine...If you insist." He finished it with a smile.

Both women looked at each other, an unseen message being spoken, and Anastasia proceeded to go down to Naruto's crotch, while Kushina went up and began to kiss Naruto, with him returning it.

Anastasia pulled on the waistband, and slowly pulled it down to Naruto's ankles, entirely removing it a few seconds later. His fully erect member was visible now.

It was only slightly larger than average, perhaps around 7 and a half inches. But size never truly mattered. It was how you used it.

The dark-haired beauty began to slowly lick around the edges, much to Naruto's appreciation, given the muffled groans. Once she was done teasing him, she began to peel back the foreskin, and after licking the head for a while, wrapped her lips around it. Naruto seemed very thankful, as the kiss he was having with Kushina was interrupted by his hiss of pleasure. Any further sounds made by him were silenced when Kushina once more kissed him. A little bit forcefully, but not enough to be concerned about.

Anastasia continued her fellatio for around a few minutes before she seemed to grow bored, her lips leaving Naruto's member with a pop. A few dollops of pre-ejaculate flowing down the engorged head.

"I hope your ready Naruto..." She spoke, her voice quivering with eagerness. Naruto looked to see what she was planning but had his head pulled back by Kushina. The red-haired women hadn't stopped kissing him since she began. If the two were human, they would have likely lost consciousness due to lack of oxygen. Any further thoughts were drowned in a sea of euphoria as Anastasia lowered herself onto his member, her breathing became erratic momentarily, until she began to bounce up and down, turning the sea into an ocean. Naruto began to thrust upwards in kind, doing his very best to return the pleasure. Anastasia took it well, as she began to audibly moan and on occasion hiss in bliss.

His thinking became muddled at the sheer amount of pleasure shooting up and down his body. Kushina seemed to become bored of just kissing, and pressed one of her erect nipples against his lips. Lost in a haze, Naruto began idly sucking and licking it, much to Kushina's happiness.

He looked so much like a nursing baby! Naruto seemed to know what she was thinking, and with a moment of clarity looked at Kushina with a twitching eyebrow. Said twitch promptly vanished as another wave of euphoria robbed him of his higher senses. Clarity returned once more when he tasted something oddly sweet in his mouth. He stopped suckling for a moment, ignoring Kushina's whining, and looked at the nipple he was sucking on.

A white fluid with a vaguely bluish tint was flowing from it.

Breast milk? Seriously? He looked at Kushina, an eyebrow raised.

She shrugged, and once more pressed it into his lips.

Oh well. It wasn't as though he disliked it.

This routine of Anastasia bouncing, and Kushina being fed on, continued for around fifteen minutes, until Naruto's member began twitching within Anastasia. Soon, semen **(Or at least, a semen analogue)** burst out within Anastasia, triggering her own climax. She tightened almost painfully around him, and she tossed her head around, moaning all the while. Soon enough, both Naruto and Anastasia were left in varying states of exhaustion. Anastasia pulled herself up, the still-erect member leaving her with a deluge of white sticky fluid leaving her entrance, staining the bed sheets. She crawled slowly up to Naruto, and Kushina had enough of the foreplay, wanting what Anastasia had experienced.

The red-haired woman went down to Naruto's occasionally twitching member, and licked it clean. A few grunts and groans from Naruto signified that he enjoyed it, and Kushina eventually hauled herself up, and lowered down on Naruto's member. A second wave of pure pleasure rocked Naruto, Anastasia was tight and wet, but Kushina seemed even tighter. Naruto began thrusting upwards again, much to Kushina's happiness.

Like Anastasia before her, Kushina began bouncing up and down, but adding a gyration to her actions, reducing Naruto to jelly. **(Metaphorically speaking)** Anastasia began to fervently kiss Naruto, adding an extended tongue to the deal.

"Are you enjoying yourself...Naru-kun?" Kushina spoke, her voice quavering with euphoria.

Naruto responded, only occasionally would his speech be hampered by Anastasia, and his own pleasured noises.

"Y-You think? I c-could easily get addicted to t-this..."

Kushina seemed happy at Naruto's answer.

"Oh? Well then...We'll be happy to provide whenever you wish..." Saucily dragging out the words.

Like before, Naruto's member began to twitch, causing Kushina to smirk.

"You're going to climax?" Her answer was a frantic nod. "Good..."

Kushina stopped her movements, and began something new. She braced herself against the bed, and started to push herself forward and back, like she was rowing a boat.

It was well-received, as Naruto's thrusting became frenzied, muffled grunts and sighs occasionally leaking out from between Naruto's and Anastasia's connected lips.

This continued for about three minutes, until Naruto could take no more. His thrusting slowed, and a burst of semen filled Kushina to the brim, the beautiful women, threw her head back, and released a loud moan, falling limp onto Naruto's chest. Anastasia stopped with her oral ministrations and helped Kushina off Naruto. Kushina was roused, and the two women looked at Naruto's soon to be flaccid member, and the both began to clean it, Naruto responding with a few tired moans. Once his manhood had lost the stains of the fluids and semen, the two women rested their heads on Naruto's chest.

Naruto, still conscious, though not for long, had the opportunity to see his new lovers share another devious smirk, and watched the two begin to kiss passionately in front of him. It continued for only half a minute, but still served it's purpose.

"Hah...heh...You two...are...evil...making me...watch...unable to do...anything..." Naruto quietly complained in jest. The two women looked at Naruto, a string of saliva bridging the gap between their lips, and they smiled teasingly.

"Oh don't worry Naru-kun..." The two said in unison. "Next time, we'll do this first."

'I think Shikamaru's on to something. Women are troublesome as hell.' Naruto thought to himself. His new lovers then rested their heads on Naruto's chest again, and closed their eyes.

Naruto did the same.

He would definitely need some rest after this night's activities.

**(END OF LEMON! You can come out now!)**

(Meanwhile, in Mikoto's and Saiyuri's room)

The mother and daughter duo were in their own beds, alongside each other, but they hadn't been able to sleep for some time.

Why?

Because of the sounds of sex echoing from the room next door.

Both Uchiha were blushing brightly, and breathed a sigh of relief **(And suppressed their own slight jealousy) **and looked at each other.

"Kaa-san...?"

"I know Yuri-chan, I know. Just bear with it."

"I can't! I'm going to have a dream about it now!"

"I think I'm going to have some too. Yuri-chan. Just try and get to sleep. They stopped now."

"O-Okay Kaa-san..."

The two remaining female Uchiha closed their eyes, and their nights would be plagued [read: gifted] by dreams about their own personal time with the blonde charmer.

Two pairs of panties would be stained by the time they woke up. Much to their chagrin.

* * *

**HOLY CRAP THAT TOOK SO LONG. FINALLY. It's my first Lemon so please...tell me what I did wrong. I know I used some words a lot, (Mainly because I'm unimaginative T_T) But still. Make sure to review!**

**And because I can just feel the wave of questions about to flood me, I'll just answer them now.**

**_HEY! Hiruzen knows about the Blacklight Virus! What gives? Also! He didn't do shit to try and stop Naruto from taking Kushina's body! The fuck?!_**

**Firstly. I need some further tension between Hiruzen and Naruto. Hiruzen knowing about the virus will of course, make Naruto a little bit peeved. And for why he did nothing to stop Naruto from whisking away Kushina's coffin? What could he have done? Naruto just got finished beating the ever loving hell out of him, and made a mockery of the Anbu's rescue attempts. What more could he do? Throw Konoha's genins at him with a catapult?**

_**Mikoto is in Naruto's inner circle! Just like that?! **_

**Well, she is awfully grateful for Naruto saving her life. Konoha isn't so attractive to her anymore considering her entire family, save her daughter, was _murdered. By her eldest son no less._**

_**EWWWW! KUSHINA'S HAVING SEX WITH HER SON! EWWWWW!**_

**Kushina can't really be called Naruto's mother anymore. Granted, she did birth him, but any biological relations were lost when Naruto was infected with the Blacklight Virus. And she didn't get anywhere near enough time to raise him, for him to even consider her in a vaguely maternal sense. It doesn't mean they can't love each other though. Just not in the sense of a mother and her son.**

**So there you go! I've answered any potential questions! Now! I don't want to see any reviews that even vaguely resemble the three above. **

**Now if you'll excuse me, I need to dunk my arms in ice. Man they sting from all that typing.**


	12. Chapter 12

Chapter 12

_D-ranks no more_

When Naruto awoke, it was to the pleasant sight of Kushina and Anastasia, curled up, and clinging to him. They both had slight smiles on their faces. And they were still in the nude.

Of course they were.

He very carefully extricated himself from their iron grasp **(They held on with enough force to actually tear off some 'skin' to put it in perspective.) **and exited the bed. But he miscalculated a critical movement and proceeded to land face-first onto the tile floor. The rest of his body jerked straight into the air, his body forming a perfect 90-degree angle with the floor, before flopping onto his back.

His eyes had closed once he lost his balance, and he exhaled through his nose. He opened his eyes, and looked at the pair of women in his bed.

They hadn't stirred one bit. Only proceeding to locate each other in their sleep and somehow wrapping themselves around one other.

A small bead of sweat trickled down the back of his head.

Apparently they were _very _heavy sleepers.

He got his feet, and after re-forming his usual attire, went to wake Saiyuri and her mother.

While on the way, he thought about the 'work' he had done so far. Or at least work the Bio-clone did. Something it complained endlessly about. It's complaints were noted, and silenced when Naruto merged with it.

After coming to the Uchiha's room door, he made a decision.

**No more D-ranks. Ever.**

He didn't care if he had to consume Kakashi and put a Bio-clone in his place, He would **NOT **deal with those 'missions' ever again in his life. If Naruto had to threaten Kakashi and/or the Hokage, he would do so. D-ranks were **that bad.**

He summarily banished any further thoughts about D-ranks, and rapped on the door.

No response.

Oh well.

Naruto fished out a key that was hidden underneath the welcome mat, and unlocked the door. He swung it open, to the sight of Saiyuri and Mikoto still asleep. The hamper off in the corner used to place soiled clothing to wash was mostly empty, except for a pair of rather racy lace panties, they seemed stained.

Had he forgot to...?

Bah. It didn't matter much. Did it?

Probably not.

His arms bulked up significantly, the white sleeves of his jacket replaced by dark gray flesh, with huge muscles seen within. The 'fibula' of his arm was no longer within the arm, instead connecting directly to the outside of the wrist itself. A spur of superdense biomass made up his elbow.

**Musclemass. **A useful technique. It amplified his already far beyond superhuman strength by a factor of five. An all-out hay maker would likely be able to split a mountain in half.

He wouldn't anything violent here though. Here, they would serve as an alarm clock of sorts.

He extended both arms out to his sides, with the arms bent in towards his chest, fists clenched.

Naruto then proceeded to pound both fists against each other, creating an **extremely loud noise. **As loud as a high-explosive paper tag detonating at point-blank range.

Was it a little bit cruel? Perhaps. Was it hilarious? _Oh yes._

Both Uchiha quite literally leaped out of their beds, chakra strengthening their muscles in their panic. The two women proceeded to bang their heads against the ceiling. **(Creating two holes in the plaster, something that made Naruto mentally perform a face-palm) **The two now dazed female Uchiha then fell to the floor, in varying states of pain. **(And concussions)**

"Ow..." The mother and daughter duo said in unison. They had sat up, both clutching their heads, gently attempting to soothe the large bump on their scalps.

"Oops." Naruto wasn't really intending for them to wake up to the feeling of their brains bouncing about in their skulls.

"Owwie...Naruto...is that you?" Saiyuri slurred out.

Naruto rubbed at the back of his hooded head. Musclemass still active.

"Yeah...I really should have expected something like that. I just wanted to wake you up."

Saiyuri temporarily glared at him. And spoke.

"Who the..." She winced in pain momentarily as she accidentally rubbed the bump a bit too vigorously. "hell wakes someone up like that?!"

Naruto answered with a completely straight face.

"I do."

The young Uchiha groaned. And managed to get to her feet. She did her best to get her mother up as well. And after the two Uchiha shared a glare with Naruto, who cleared his throat in slight embarrassment, went off to the kitchen to get ice in an attempt to calm the swelling.

Having apparently been awoke in much the same manner, considering the plaster dust clinging to their hair, Kushina and Anastasia had bolted to the Uchiha's room. Kushina had mis-stepped, tripped, and caused Anastasia to trip as well, leading the two women to come into Naruto's view a tangled mass of limbs, hair and...more private parts.

The two were still in the nude it seemed.

"Ow...Kushina you klutz!"

"Oh, be quiet Ana! Still getting used to actually walking around here!"

Naruto saw fit to try and free the two from each other. It took a few moments, and on occasion Naruto's hands would brush against a breast, or rear. Entirely accidental. Kushina and Anastasia didn't seem to think so.

"Ooh...Naruto...you want some more...?" Kushina would tease.

"My...My...Naruto...I didn't know you were that kind of man..."Anastasia would say.

Naruto did his best to tune out their playful voices. He wanted to do something violent today anyway.

"Believe me, ladies, as enjoyable as that night was, let's give the next time a little while okay? I'd like to do a C-rank mission today anyway." Naruto said, in an attempt to dissuade the two temptresses.

The two pouted, something that Naruto resisted, **(Mainly by looking away...)** and they relented. Once the two were freed, they re-formed their own clothing, Anastasia her own jacket and hoodie, and Kushina, wore something rather unique.

Her new 'clothing' consisted of skin-tight black spandex leggings, with knee-high boots. She had on a dark-gray leather jacket, with a coat tail that surrounded her legs, and reached to the floor. Underneath the jacket, a similarly skin tight armored bodice, with leather straps keeping her leggings from sagging. The armor seemed to perfectly match the shape of her bosom as well. **(Akuma's outfit from Syndicate 2012 co-op.)**

The outfit drew a reaction from Naruto, who glanced at Kushina, head tilted slightly. The red-haired maiden giggled at how cute Naruto looked when he was confused.

"What? Doesn't it suit me?" She proceeded to pose in a rather sultry manner, with her hips swung out to one side, and her hand resting on it.

"Eh. Wear what you want. To be honest, you two could make anything look good." He answered, walking past the two now women. "I'll be back soon enough. If it is a C-rank, you're welcome to join. Just try and keep out of sight from Kakashi and Sakura, okay?" He called out from the bunker exit.

The two women looked at each other, a slight blush on both of their cheeks at Naruto's compliment. That damn teasing...

**(Forest of Death)**

Naruto merrily walked out, a sight that would have made most Konoha residents wonder if they were hallucinating. A slight smile was on his face.

He sincerely enjoyed being able to tease, and joke. It was just so...refreshing. To be able to take some time away from the role of a killer.

He idly wondered if it would be possible to further enhance his little army by infecting other animals like bears, or even the giant centipedes that populated the Forest. Every wild animal stayed far away from where he was based, their most basic of survival instincts roaring at them to **never **enter that part of the Forest. Of course, it didn't mean he couldn't infect anymore living things. He just had to head out and search for a good specimen.

The Brawlers were the all-rounders. Fast, strong, and tough. The Infected plants served as biological booby traps, and the Hydras served as shock troopers, striking fear deep into any intruder's souls. He would need a dedicated assault force. Something incredibly tough and strong. It needn't be as quick as a Brawler however.

What would work? A bear perhaps? Hm. It was worth a shot.

He leaped upwards into the canopy and using branches, and on occasion either gliding or using his organic jets, to head to where the bears of the Forest all resided.

This should be good.

**(Bear Hideout)**

This particular part of the Forest of Death was notable for the numerous underground cave systems it possessed. This was where the bear population resided. Family groups consisting of a mother and her cubs would often occupy a single cavern, with male members of the species spread out in a random pattern in the rest of the caves. The den where the mothers and their children resided was hard to miss. The entrance consisted of one of the huge trees the Forest of Death was famous for, having been hollowed out and now forming a tunnel into the cave itself. The other caves were simply holes in the ground, with a slight incline.

Naruto was currently hunting an elder male bear, the stuff of legend in fact. It was the subject of numerous folk tales and bedtime stories. The Elder Bear in myth was once an immensely powerful barbarian from before the Ninja Era. He had reigned with an iron fist the whole of the Land of Fire. But his reign ended when he had angered an extremely powerful witch, who cursed him and transformed him into an immense black bear. He retained his intelligence, but that bestial rage that enabled him to take on entire armies almost single-handedly had been amplified. He lost himself to it, and killed the witch, eating her alive. With her death, so went the only method of which he would regain his humanity.

Of course this was all legend mind you. The black bear was just that. A bear. It was really impressive just how much detail was put into something entirely false.

Naruto shook his head lightly. He wasn't here to ridicule the legend behind the Elder Bear. He was here to infect it, and produce a new Infected creature.

Now, the Elder Bear resided in the very deepest, and darkest portion of the Bear Hideout. Referred to, as the Cave of the Elder Bear. **(Geez the auth...I mean, the Konoha villagers are so unoriginal)**

The Cave itself wasn't too special from outside. Aside from the copious bloodstains around the mouth of the Cave. And the piles of bones. As well as how the stalagmites and stalactites on the roof and the floor of the Cave seemed to form the teeth of a bear.

Okay it was rather unique.

Naruto formed his Claws. Speed would be essential against something as large and lumbering as a bear, doubly so for the Elder Bear. It's age meant it was much stronger and tougher, but it's ancient bones made it move slower than the average bear.

Shouldn't be too difficult right?

**(Not two minutes later)**

Naruto swore as the Elder Bear swept at him with it's huge paw.

Damn it! The Elder Bear was supposed to be slow!

The hooded blonde ducked under the swipe, and countered with one of his own, slicing into the Bear's stomach. It roared in pain and rage, and pinned Naruto to the ground, it's paws pressing down into his shoulders. The Elder Bear glared at him, with entirely black eyes. It reared up, and roared directly into his face. Naruto grimaced as the Bear's rather fetid breath assaulted him.

"Yeah, yeah. Rawr to you too."

Naruto lifted himself onto his upper back, and lashed out with both feet, launching the Elder Bear away.

He performed a kip-up, the cave's floor cracking underneath him, as he landed onto his feet.

He took the time to observe his rather determined ursine foe.

The Elder Bear's fur was a pitch black, and the Bear itself was _**HUGE**_. Easily topping seven feet just with it's shoulders. If it was reared back on it's hind legs, it would easily be able to outdo most of the buildings of Konoha. The bear's claws were stained with blood to the point that Naruto couldn't make out it's original color. It's teeth, made visible as the Bear had managed to get back up, and was now snarling at him, were similarly coated in blood. A few rotting entrails hung from it's teeth.

Naruto was more than a little annoyed. This Bear had very thick skin, and he seriously doubted the unmodified Blade would even be able to slice through it's flesh. He had to get serious now.

Tendrils swarmed his form, his clothing turning into the black fluid that was Biomass. For a few seconds, Naruto was just this humanoid figure, made of black liquid. But the tendrils soon stopped, and Naruto's body was revealed again.

It would soon be the last thing the Elder Bear remembered.

His body was now covered in a matte black insectoid armor. His fingers were now their own individual miniature Claws, and his feet were no longer even vaguely human with no visible toes. His face had also lost it's resemblance to a human's, with no visible eyes, nose, or mouth. Just perfectly smooth. But then, the chitin began cracking where the mouth would normally be, until Naruto forced open his new jaw. His mouth was lipless, and rather than human teeth, row upon row of needle-like teeth, similar to what would be seen on a deep-sea predatory fish.

And he was much, **much, **_**larger now. **_Almost eleven feet tall. All three and a half tons of biomass within the seal on his chest was now fully available to him.

Naruto opened his maw at an inhumanly high angle, and _**roared. **_The roar was loud enough to actually start shattering the cave around him. He became silent, and turned his attention back to the Elder Bear, who had began backing away from the now clearly superior predator.

But Naruto would show it no mercy. His left arm became his Blade once more, but with a key difference. The main cutting edge was now serrated. If he couldn't cut through, he'd saw through.

Naruto crouched low to the ground, his remaining hand pressing flat to the floor. Then he pounced. The Elder Bear, now sufficiently cowed, tried to turn tail, but failed, as Naruto sliced into it's spine. The Elder Bear roared out in pain and a slight hint of fear. It attempted to run once more, but found itself paralyzed.

Naruto had successfully cut into the Bear's spinal cord.

The armored monstrosity Naruto had become appeared in front of the now motionless Bear. It desperately moved it's head to and fro, the terror now clear in it's eyes. Then Naruto spoke.

"_**You needn't worry..." **_Naruto hissed out, his voice occasionally punctuated with clicks and hisses. **_"This won't hurt a bit..." _**Naruto pulled back his now Clawed right hand, and plunged it deep into the Bear's heart.

**(A few minutes later...)**

Naruto brushed off some dirt and dust off his shoulder's. The infection was a success. He had created another Infected creature. Now all there was do is name it.

Juggernaut? Nah.

Barrager? Nuh-uh.

Steamroller? It would work. At least until he had a better name for it.

He turned back towards the Cave, and called out.

"Alright! Come on out!"

A deep growl was his answer, and the ground began to tremble. Two pairs of solid red eyes peered out from the mouth of the Cave. Then the cave exploded into a shower of shattered stone.

And the newly named **Steamroller **was now visible.

Rather than fur, it was similar to the Brawlers in that it was entirely hairless. The Steamroller was still a quadruped, but it was fully capable of rearing back onto it's hind legs if necessary. The Steamroller's claws were now seeming constructed of steel, as they now possessed a metallic sheen. Several spikes of bone erupted from it's back, forming an external ribcage of sorts. The Steamroller was significantly larger than the Elder Bear it was formed from, easily twice it's size.

Of note was it's head. It still resembled an ursine's head, but it now had a second pair of eyes, just above it's original pair. It's teeth were made out of the same organic steel that it's claws were made of.

The Steamroller groaned, before rolling over to it's side. It's pillar-like legs waved about momentarily.

A small bead of sweat trickled down Naruto's face. The Steamroller wanted a **belly rub.**

He sighed, and decided to honor it's request. He laid both hands on it's stomach, and began to scratch there. The Steamroller seemed rather happy, considering the pleasant...**mewls **that came out of it's mouth.

'Why is it that no matter what I infect, it'll be as docile as a puppy around me? If I go to the plants, are they going to try and hug me with their tendrils?' Naruto thought to himself, a light twitch in his eyebrow.

**'I...actually don't know. Maybe they just love you because you...created them?' **The Kyuubi spoke, having been roused by the battle between Naruto and the Elder Bear. The fox had to admit, it was impressive how Naruto's shape-shifting meant that he had access to a veritable armory, at any time.

'Yeah...I guess so. Hey Fox...?'

**'What?'**

'I'm curious. You don't have to answer me though.'

**'Curious about what?'**

'Did you love your creator?'

The Fox remained silent for a few moments. Naruto assumed the worse.

'Um...Sorry. I won't mention it agai...'

**'I...did.' **The Fox was uncharacteristically quiet.

'What changed then?'

The Kyuubi sighed tiredly.

**'My...father, I guess you could say, had said to try and give humanity a chance. I did. And look where it got me.'**

It was impossible not to sympathize with the Kyuubi. It seemed they had similar problems with their own fathers.

'And now, you don't know whether you hate him or not.'

**'Yes...I don't hate him...but I no longer love him anymore. He lied to me, to my brothers and sisters...and because of that, we were seen as mere tools by the militant. And robbed of our freedom. Sealed away in other humans. We became just mere energy sources.'**

'Sorry. I guarantee you, I'll try and free you. Maybe even create a place for you and your brethren.'

Naruto felt the Kyuubi smile slightly.

**'That sounds great Naruto.' **He could picture the Fox smirk. **'I imagine the other Bijuu would like that as well.'**

He nodded, more to the Kyuubi than to himself, and stopped scratching the Steamroller. It groaned a complaint.

"No. Head back to the bunker. Introduce yourself I guess."

It groaned once more, one last gripe, before it got to it's feet, and lumbered back to the bunker.

'I suppose I should head out to meet with the Team. So help me if it's another D-rank...' Naruto thought, his brow lightly twitching.

**(Hokage Tower)**

Team 7 were assembled in the Hokage's Office. The Hokage himself had a few bandages strewn about his face, still healing somewhat from Naruto's wrath. Naruto stared down the elderly Kage, before scoffing under his breath and looking away.

He was still a little bit peeved at him.

Kakashi had his head buried in a new Icha-Icha book, something that Naruto was sorely tempted to destroy, if only to amuse himself. Kakashi seemed to notice Naruto's book [read: smut] destroying thoughts and quickly pocketed the book in a kunai pouch. Sakura was looking around the Office. Saiyuri was next to Naruto, and despite having a very slight bump on her head, the fault of Naruto, no less, she was close to him, and tugged lightly at his right arm. Naruto looked to her, noticing the slight desire in her eyes.

Naruto sighed in amusement, and wrapped his arm around her waist. Saiyuri smiled, and pressed herself against him as close as she could.

"I heard everything last night..." She whispered out. Naruto's eyes briefly widened, and he looked down at Saiyuri.

Her cheeks had a slight pink tint to them, and she looked up at him, and spoke once more.

"I'm not angry...with the life you've led...you need all the love you can get. I get scared sometimes..." She closed her eyes, and pressed herself further against his chest. "I get scared of what would happen to you if we...vanished from your life..." Naruto could feel a slight dampness against his jacket.

Saiyuri was crying.

"I know you're violent and dark deep down inside..." She looked back up at him, eyes having been opened. "And I'm not judging you. That darkness...it's a part of you...and it doesn't control you. I don't think it ever will..." She raised her hands, and wrapped them around Naruto's neck.

"But it doesn't need to be there. I want to purge it from you...I know it seems impossible. But anything can be accomplished given enough time...You helped nip that darkness growing inside me. You stopped me from wanting revenge against my brother. Please...let me return that favor."

The hooded blonde sighed deeply.

"Saiyuri...You can't fathom that void within me. I'm a being who preys on memory. On emotion. On the very soul itself. Nothing can remove that darkness. Like you said, It does not and will never control me. I am my own master. You, Kushina, Anastasia, maybe even Mikoto with time...you help me stay within certain bounds. You prevent me from crossing certain lines. You're right. Without all of you...I have no idea the destruction I would have wrought upon the world."

He gently traced a trail down Saiyuri's face with his finger.

"I don't ever want to lose you. Ever. Same goes for the other three. If you so desire...I can make you like me. A timeless thing. We'll be together for all eternity. Once this world has died, we'll travel the stars. Find a new home. We just need to be patient."

Saiyuri nuzzled against Naruto's finger.

"Yeah...I'd like that. You'd have to teach me how to use your powers though...I don't want to be some kind of klutz." She giggled lightly at the end, and Naruto quietly chuckled along with her, his chest rumbling, a soothing sound to Saiyuri.

"Well now. I wasn't expecting you two to be so intimate with one another." Kakashi saw fit to ruin the moment between the two.

Saiyuri squeaked in embarrassment, while Naruto growled. He glared at Kakashi, then smirked.

The Son of the White Fang shivered, trying his very best to tear his eyes away from Naruto. Said blonde's eyes narrowed in amusement. Then the horror show started.

A tendril peeked out of Naruto's mouth, seeming to observe it's environment. It then locked onto Kakashi, who was petrified with fear. A few gasps would occasionally break out from his concealed lips. The Hokage seemed to notice Kakashi's growing terror, and looked up from his paperwork. Kakashi seemed rooted to the earth, and Naruto looked incredibly amused. The Hokage glanced at Kakashi. Then Naruto. Hiruzen noticed the small tendril having emerged from Naruto's mouth. The Hokage shivered lightly, then returned to his paperwork.

Tentacles were far more terrifying than any amount of paperwork. Especially considering how...'creative' Naruto was.

"Say, Kakashi." Naruto monotoned. "Why don't we move on to C-ranks? It'd be good for me to get away from the village anyway." The tendril waved about, and Naruto leaned forward into Kakashi's face, the tendril dancing in front of his eyes. "Surely, we've done enough D-ranks to last a life-time."

Kakashi, couldn't nod fast enough.

He wanted that damn mouth-tentacle **(Which would forever haunt his nightmares...)** away from his face!

"Y-Yeah! I think we can d-do one! For sure!"

The hooded blonde retracted the tendril. Kakashi felt the pressure that paralyzed him vanish, and he breathed a sigh of relief.

'I sincerely think the Kyuubi would be preferable to Naruto. The Fox would just kill me. Naruto...I don't want to even think about the things he would do.' Kakashi thought, trembling slightly. He was tempted to pull out his new Icha-Icha-chan, to snuggle it in an effort to relieve some of the stress that Naruto had caused, but decided against it.

He didn't want to lose another Icha-Icha-chan.

Naruto glanced back at Kakashi, who was staring off into space, mumbling about that smut book.

The Hokage coughed lightly into his hand, and spoke.

"I have considered your request for a C-rank mission, and I have decided to grant your request. Your C-rank mission will consist of helping your client, One Tazuna-san, back to his home, in Nami no Kuni. You will be expected to defend against some minor threats along the way. Bandits, wild animals, the like." He turned to the doors that led out to the secretary's desk and called out.

"Tazuna-san! Your ninja team is ready for you!"

The doors opened and an elderly man walked in. He was wearing a pair of glasses, and his hair, partially obscured by a pointed straw hat, was gray, and he possessed a beard of the same color. His upper clothing consisted of a dark brown, sleeveless, v-neck shirt, with an obi sash of the same color. His lower attire was a simple pair of dark brown pants, and sandals.

He had a sake bottle in his left hand, and swayed about. Clearly intoxicated.

"Su dese ar de brats dat ar supposed to pretect me?" He slurred out.

'I already want to kill this guy. Man. I need some professional help.' Naruto thought, a slight manic twitch in his eye.

'Shannaro! This old guy is doubting us! I can't wait to prove him wrong!' Sakura thought, a determined expression on her face.

'Seriously? Our first C-rank, and we have to deal with this old drunkard? Oh well. At least Naruto's with me. And Kushina and Anastasia can come along too. At the very least, we'll be safe.' Saiyuri thought.

Tazuna apparently wanted to express his opinion further. He somehow regained some clarity, and looked at Naruto.

"You, the tall one in the hood." Naruto looked at him, eye still twitching slightly. "You look crazy as hell. But you look strong too. I like you."

Tazuna turned to Sakura then. If anything, he was honest at least.

"You, pinkie. You look like you'd lose a fight with the wind. I don't like you. At all." Sakura glared at him, a fire suddenly burning in her eyes. She reared her fist back. But Kakashi was faster, and restrained her, forcing her arm behind her back. Sakura quite literally foamed at the mouth, and started screaming.

"GRAH! LET ME AT 'IM! I'LL TEAR HIM A NEW ONE, SHANNARO!"

Kakashi eye-smiled, and gently scolded her.

"Now, Sakura. Don't be mean to our client. After all, an unhappy client means less work for Konoha in the future."

The rabid pink-haired girl struggled for a few more moments, before Naruto got fed up, and outright punched her in the face.

Sakura's head was sent reeling back with the force of the punch, and she fell limp.

Neither Saiyuri nor Kakashi seemed too surprised, and the latter simply let Sakura's unconscious form fall to the ground.

"I imagine this happens a lot then?" Tazuna asked, a gray eyebrow raised.

The three conscious members of Team 7 nodded in unison. Tazuna shrugged, and turned to Saiyuri.

"Now, then. You. The pretty girl." Tazuna paused momentarily, and asked a question. "You're dating the blonde one aren't you?" Saiyuri responded the way any young teenage girl would. She blushed lightly, and nodded. "Huh. I have to admit blondie, you have a keeper there. Anyway you look strong too." He took another swig out of his sake jar, and returned to the barely coherent intoxication he was in before.

"Rite den...I'll see yu all at de gate." Tazuna stumbled out of the office, and after trying and failing to flirt with the secretary, earning him a slap to the face, he headed off.

Naruto turned to Kakashi, and a few tendrils emerged out of his back, and rushed at Kakashi, binding him, and bringing him close to Naruto.

"Remember what I said Kakashi. _**Don't be late.**_" He released Kakashi, who curled up into the fetal position on the floor, desperately clutching at his Icha-Icha book.

"I won't be late Naruto! I won't be late! I won't be late!" He repeated the phrase numerous times.

Apparently Kakashi was becoming just a tad unstable from the mere sight of any tendrils. Ah well. He'd get better, surely.

Naruto once more wrapped an arm around Saiyuri's thin waist, but rather than blush, Saiyuri welcomed it, and hugged Naruto from the side. Naruto turned to look at Kakashi.

"So what gate are we going to exit from?"

Kakashi answered, a small hint of fear in his voice.

"T-The South Gate."

Naruto nodded, and walked off. Saiyuri in tow. He called out from the end of the hallway.

"I expect to see you there within an hour and a half from now. _**Or else.**_"

Sakura helped Kakashi to his feet, and recommended they follow the two lovebirds to the Gate.

Kakashi couldn't say yes faster.

He did **NOT** want to be punished by Naruto for being late. The first time was more than enough!

The silver-haired jonin, quivered lightly at the memory.

"So many tentacles..." Kakashi whispered to himself.

Just let it be known, that Kakashi Hatake would never be late to anything ever again.

**(Naruto's bunker)**

After dropping off Saiyuri at the Gate, Naruto went to inform Kushina and Anastasia of the C-rank. The former wanted some time away from the village, and the latter wanted to explore outside Konoha.

Now here was the issue. The trio couldn't just waltz up to the Gate. One is a woman whose meant to be dead, and the other a complete foreigner, and stranger. He'd have to transport them with other methods. Those methods...were having them inhabit his body.

_**'Finally! I've always wanted to see more of the world!'**_

_'And I get to be away from the idiots that swarm around Konoha.'_

And that meant more voices in his head.

Fantastic.

'Guh...Two more voices that exist only to me...I'm fairly certain I belong in some kind of asylum.'

**'Eh. I was getting kind of lonely in here anyway. You're good to talk to, but sometimes a fresh voice is good.'**

'Make that three voices.'

_**'Oh stop whining Naruto.'**_

_'Yeah. At least you have someone to talk to.'_

Naruto mentally sighed.

'I suppose so. So we know how to get you out of me right? I make a Bio-Clone and you move to it. Simple as that.'

_'Yep! And I guess we could do some renovations here. The sewer look is kinda...'_

_**'Disgusting?'**_

**'More like depressing. For as much as a prude Naruto can be, his mind is rather dirty.'**

'Well it wasn't as though I wanted it to look like a sewer! It was just like that!'

**'See? I guess, deep down inside, you're a pervert.'**

'Do you want the same treatment Kakashi got?'

The Kyuubi yelped in fear.

**'NO! NO! NO! I'll be good! I promise!'**

'Good. Also, are you feeling alright? Your kinda acting a little...feminine I guess?

The fox shrugged.

**'I suppose so. I was sealed in two women before remember? I've actually never had a gender, let alone a human form. I guess I could start now.'**

_'Wow Naruto. You managed to get the Kyuubi to turn into a woman. You Casanova you...'_

_**'And now we have another girlfriend!'**_

'In what sense though? A sexual one, or a platonic one?' He couldn't help himself. He needed to clear that mystery up.

_**'Oh my...I guess we could arrange something like that...' **_Anastasia started giggling then. And it was not one of amusement.

Kushina started giggling in the same manner as Anastasia.

'Oh my Kami. Why is it almost everyone I care about is a pervert in some manner?'

**'I don't know. But I will admit, I'm starting to like the idea of sex. I just need to come up with a human form now. I'll come back when I have one.' **The Fox **(Or is it Vixen now?) **retreated to the deepest parts of the seal. Apparently she wanted to keep her human form a secret.

_'Do I hear you complaining about having women who love you, being perverts? Especially when you think of us as beautiful?'_

'Meh. I don't need sex to express love. It's the simple things I like. Snuggling, hugging, kisses. Those things.'

_**'Aww! You're a romantic!'**_

'I...suppose I am. Do you not like romanticism?'

_**'Of course I do!'**_

_'I think that you being a romantic shows just how much better you are than most men. You actually care about us, and want us to feel good. We'll have to reward you for that later...'_

'Heh. Very well. I'll partake of this reward. Just not now though. Give it some time.'

_**'Yeah...I'll need a little break from any more activities of that nature. I'm really not too experienced with pleasure.'**_

'Preaching to the choir here.'

_'Okay...I could do with some alone time with Naruto anyway...Show him some more...advanced techniques I know of.'_

'I don't want to know how you learned said techniques.'

Kushina laughed at that.

_'Oh don't worry. I only ever was intimate with Minato-teme once, and it resulted in you. And I'll just say it now, you are MUCH better in bed than he was.'_

'Please stop mentioning it. I imagine vomiting is a hundred times worse when you don't even have a stomach.'

_'Oh relax. I wouldn't do something like that. Also, you may want to pay attention now. Saiyuri's in front of you.'_

'Wha?'

Naruto suddenly ran into something soft, and fell forwards. He caught himself with his arms. And looked down.

Directly at Saiyuri's bright red face.

He was basically straddling her.

Oops.

"Erm...sorry 'bout that. I should have been paying attention."

Saiyuri squeaked out an answer.

"It's okay! It's just that..." Her blush intensified further.

Naruto tilted his head.

"Just that...?"

The female Uchiha swallowed lightly, and answered.

"Your...kinda...poking me..."

Indeed, Naruto's erect member, albeit constrained by his jeans, was lightly pressing into Saiyuri's stomach.

Wait what? That was impossible. Naruto never actually formed anything underneath his 'clothing'. There wasn't even skin. If someone tried to take off his 'clothing', they would find it to be actually attached to his body. Unless...

_'Ah ha!'_

'Dammit Kushina! Quit it!'

_'Nope! This is fun! 'Sides, I like pranks! You should know that!'_

'You know I'll get you back for this!'

_'Catch me if you can then!' _Kushina retreated into his mind, giggling madly all the while.

Dammit! He was caught in another one of her pranks!

Saiyuri noticed Naruto's brow lightly twitching.

"Um...Naruto? You okay?"

"Why I'm perfectly fine." Twitch. "Found out why I'm poking you though." Twitch-a twitch.

Naruto got off of Saiyuri, much to her relief and/or disappointment.

"I'm guessing it was..."

"Yep." Twitch. "Another one of her pranks."

"So they're both..."

"In me? Yes. Are they slowly driving me crazy...well, crazier? Oh yes."

_'You know you love it Naru-kun!'_

'Shush up!' Kushina once more fled back into his mind. Another insane laugh tearing itself from her throat.

Saiyuri couldn't help but giggle at the mock anger on Naruto's face.

A few minutes later, and the rest of Team 7, along with Tazuna arrived. Sakura had arrived with a travel pack on her back. Saiyuri didn't need one considering she had a storage seal written onto her heart, much like Naruto's.

Kakashi looked up from his Icha-Icha, and drawled out.

"So we ready to head out?" Everyone nodded, and they set off to Nami.

No one knew of the bloodbath that would soon occur there.

* * *

**OWWWW. SIX THOUSAND WORDS IN ONE DAY. I NEED ICE. SO MUCH ICE. POLAR ICE CAPS HERE I COME.**


	13. Chapter 13

Chapter 13

_Sweet destruction..._

_"It's harder to heal than it is to kill..." -Tamora Pierce_

* * *

The trip to Nami was going to take a while. The Team had to travel at a civilian pace since Tazuna was incapable of traversing like a ninja could. Thankfully, the ETA had been shortened dramatically when Naruto had hired a caravan traveler to take them to Nami.

They would arrive roughly within two days. The Caravanner, as she referred to herself, was an average looking woman. Roughly within her thirties. Her hair was obscured by a Suna-style headdress, and her form was coated in numerous layers of clothing, a dark brown traveling cloak, followed by an old brown leather jacket. A pair of thick black trousers covered her legs, followed by black boots. A whip was coiled and attached to her belt.

Right now, it was midnight, and the caravan traveled through, a few lamps on either side providing illumination.

"Heh! Say, Naruto, was it?" Her voice was rough, and gravelly. Considering the stench of tobacco that wafted around her, it was clear she was an avid smoker. "I was wondering...why are you so pale? Snow can't even compare to your skin! It's like you're some kind of walking corpse!" She ended the sentence with a laugh, and took another drag out of her cigarette.

Said hooded blonde was seated next to her, riding shotgun. The rest of Team 7 were in the back.

"I don't see the sun too much." Naruto replied. In truth, his complexion was just another tactic when fighting. If you look like a fresh corpse, people start making stories. People get afraid of you.

The Caravanner cackled again, a cloud of smoke billowing out from her mouth, and into Naruto's face, who waved away the toxic cloud with a light growl.

"So what? You live in a cave or something?"

Naruto repressed the urge to reach out, grab that cancer-stick, and shove it into her eye.

He exhaled through his nose, and responded.

"I don't see why you need to know. I have a feeling we won't see each other again."

The Caravanner took in another breath from her cigarette, and smirked at Naruto.

"Hah! You say that now kid! The road works in mysterious ways. We'll cross paths again soon enough."

The hooded blonde scoffed, before leaning his head back, and closing his eyes. He could do with some rest.

The Caravanner's smirk vanished, and she looked at Naruto with a critical eye.

This young man was far more than he looked like. Something that she would have to bring up to her master...

With her observation of Naruto done, she turned her attention to the six horses that pulled the caravan along, and jerked at the reins, commanding them to move faster. The equine beasts of burden obliged, and began galloping with all haste towards Nami.

It wasn't a few minutes later that The Caravanner had to stop and pull off the main road. The reason why?

**Highwaymen. **

There was a large group of them known to patrol around this stretch of road, and they were infamous for their tendency to kill everyone in a caravan, and take whatever was left. They were even rumored to be cannibals.

Not a concern for The Caravanner herself, she was far above those putrid sacks of meat and bone. But her passengers, save Naruto, would likely find themselves in trouble in attempting to deal with them. The two girls had never killed anyone before, the drunkard had no experience in a life and death fight. The one-eyed jonin might have an easier time, but the bandits had numbers on their side.

"We've stopped. I assume raiders are nearby?" Naruto's voice tore her from her thoughts.

The Caravanner turned to Naruto, a frown on her face. She momentarily chewed on her cigarette, before tossing it aside.

"Yeah. I'm not too good in a fight, and I don't think the rest of your group might be able to take them all on. If you snuck around, maybe."

The hooded blonde stretched out his arms momentarily, before standing up, and dropping off the seat.

"Wait!" The Caravanner hissed out. "The hell you doing boy?! You're just one guy! They have at least a hundred!" Then Naruto turned to her. His hood had fallen over his face in such a manner that one of his eyes was obscured. The visible eye shone brightly in the dark of the night. A haunting ethereal blue-silver.

"_**I'll handle it." **_Naruto droned. The Caravanner could swear she heard many, _MANY, _other voices following Naruto's own.

With that said, Naruto walked off, his white-clad form somehow vanishing into the pitch-black of the road ahead.

The Caravanner's face took on a serious expression, and she turned to her left, talking to an unseen figure.

"It's worse than we thought. The introduction of the Blacklight Virus to the Child of Prophecy has made him incredibly powerful. Too powerful. You may need to do something about it."

A disembodied voice, audible only to The Caravanner spoke then. It was raspy, nearly reed-like.

"_**Let Naruto go. The Prophecy will not be fulfilled. Not if I have anything to say about it. He desires to leave this world behind, and I will not stop him. Kami should have given up on this planet long ago. I care nothing for the souls he destroys. The Natural Order hasn't been disturbed yet."**_

"Bu-But Sir!" She was silenced as her mouth snapped shut against her will.

"_**This is my decree. I gave the Virus to him for a reason. This was it. I will no longer stand idly by while Kami toys around with those damn prophecies of hers. This world will die. But not in the way she expects."**_

The Caravanner was released, and looked down at the ground, shamefacedly.

"I-I'm sorry, Sir..."

An invisible hand trailed down her cheek gently, much like a father would caress his child's face.

"_**You were only expressing your opinion. There's nothing wrong with that. Once you're done here, there is an issue to be dealt with in another galaxy. Something about that petulant child Lucifer being freed soon."**_

The Caravanner nodded, a smile on her face.

"Yes, Sir!"

And with that, the Shinigami vanished.

**(Bandit Encampment)**

Kawazoe Yuusuke sighed in relief as he...well relieved himself. Yesterday, him and the rest of his pals had managed to raid a huge caravan. They had a lot of good shit, jewelery, gold, sake, even some wine!

The women were fun for a few weeks, but they got boring. So he had them choke on their own fingers and toes. The looks on their faces! He cooked up some of their intestines too. They made great sausages!

Any further thoughts about the last successful raid Kawazoe would have were banished from his mind, as his member suddenly flew away from his crotch, a trail of blood visualizing it's arc. A scream would have tore itself from his throat, if it weren't for his trachea having been sliced into. A near-silent whistle coming from the new hole in his throat was the only reaction he had when he felt something dig into his chest, and pull out what appeared to be his heart. It continued to beat for a few moments, before the hand that gripped it crushed it into paste. He was then brought to his knees, having had his Achilles tendon severed, and was finally able to see his killer.

Blue-silver eyes stared into his own hazel. Kawazoe widened his eyes, and got to experience them being ripped out of his skull. His assailant spoke then.

"_**I wish I could do more to you. I want to make you suffer eternally. But, utter destruction will have to suffice. Pray to whatever god you worship for mercy. I won't show you any."**_

Kawazoe, barely capable of even thinking coherently, was relieved of his agony when a Claw bore into his skull.

Naruto watched with slight amusement as Kawazoe's body slightly jerked in response to the Claw. He waited for a few moments, until the corpse stopped twitching. Tendrils raced out from the Claw, and consumed the corpse then. Naruto shook his head briefly as the memories came rushing in.

He looked down at where Kawazoe was once in contempt.

"You disgusting meatbag. I should have killed you slower."

Naruto gave a light growl as he shifted into Kawazoe's form.

'Now to find his boss.'

Naruto walked back into the Encampment, occasionally greeting the bandits that resided there. Appearances had to be kept after all. He located the main tent, signified by the skulls that hung from it's entrance, and entered the tent.

A rather portly man sat on a throne in the center, looking bored. Naruto didn't care what the man looked like. He was here to feast anyway.

A similarly fat bandit walked up, the folds of his belly jiggling all the while.

"Kawazoe, the fuck you doing here? Boss didn't summon you..." Any further words were silenced as Naruto thrust his Claws into the annoying man's throat. He watched as the fat pig started drowning in his own blood, and shifted back into his original appearance.

The fat bastard on the throne, called 'The Skinner' by the survivors of his raids, looked up at the intruder within his tent. His eyes were half-lidded, and he didn't seem too concerned at the teen with Claws standing not ten feet from him.

"Hoh, you killed him good kid. Say, why don't you join up? We could use some fresh blood anyway."

Naruto took the moment to look down at the ground, his entire body twitching on occasion. The metallic Claws bent, and lengthened seemingly of their own free will, and then Naruto began chuckling. It started out quietly. The laugh of someone slightly amused. Then it got louder, and louder. Until Naruto was laughing madly. He threw his head back, A Clawed hand coming to his face, wrapping around his skull. His teeth began to gradually sharpen and narrow, until they became like needles. A black chitinous armor surrounded his form and he shot up several feet in height, his voice distorting to match his new form, it was now incredibly deep, with an echo behind it. The abomination that Naruto had become calmed, his laughing coming to a slow stop.

"_**Heh. I'm not interested." **_He turned his almost-featureless face to The Skinner, who was now beside himself in fear. A yellow stain on his crotch. The fat fuck was hyperventilating in fear. Naruto opened his maw wide, and let a long, thin, bright red, tendril-like tongue snake out. It weaved in and out of the gaps between his fangs, and he spoke once more.

It would the last thing The Skinner ever heard. And the last thing the highwaymen under his command would never hear.

"_**I'm just here for DINNER!" **_He howled out the last word, and descended upon The Skinner.

The screams coming from within their Boss' tent drew the attention of the entire Encampment. Then The Skinner's limbless torso burst out of the flaps. It was almost entirely skinless, looking for all the world like a school of piranhas had tore into him. There was exposed red muscle, and blood still gushed out in jets from the stumps where his arms, and legs were. His face was torn apart, bone exposed, and a terrified expression remained frozen on the The Skinner's chubby cheeks.

A shadow became visible in the tent, cast by the torches within. Whatever it was, it _was **HUGE.**_ And had immense Claws. The rest of the encampment started backing away, not eager to try and fight the thing that turned The Skinner into a barely held together bag of bones and meat.

The poor bandits never got a chance. The monster that killed The Skinner burst out of the tent wall, the cloth doing nothing to slow it. The bandits could see it clearly now.

It was like nothing they had ever seen before.

All black, easily eleven feet, and it had a mouth that seemed ripped from the nightmares of every man, woman, and child. There was so many teeth...

Those teeth would be the last thing every bandit saw. As they came screaming for their heads.

The cries of the dying would be heard by none. And no evidence of the corpses would be found. Not even the Encampment would remain. Just odd craters in the earth.

For some reason, they looked like footprints.

But nothing could make those footprints. They were far too big!

Right?

**(Five minutes later...)**

The Caravanner sighed as she lit another cigarette. Naruto hadn't returned. She wasn't too concerned about it, but still.

Couldn't the kid hurry up at least? The Caravanner would have to log the souls destroyed anyway, before she undertook the next job.

A thud prompted her to try and act scared.

"Gah! What the hell, kid! Where'd you come from?!" She feigned surprise as best she could.

If Naruto saw through the act, he didn't show it.

The hooded blonde shrugged, and looked up at The Caravanner.

"The bandits are gone. Scared them off." He momentarily grasped the back of his neck, pushing until a loud crunch of a popped joint resounded out. "I'll be in the back. I could do with some rest. Tell us when we're close to Nami." With his piece said, he walked around, and clambered into the coach.

For a moment The Caravanner stared at where Naruto entered the coach for a moment. Then turned her attention back to her horses.

Damn. Now she had more work to do. And considering the screaming she heard, it was a _**lot. **_

"Hmph. I hope Dad knows what he's doing." She whispered to herself. She cracked her whip, and sent the horses off into a gallop.

It would be a few hours until they reached Nami.

Meanwhile, within the stagecoach, Naruto was seated on the leather padded cushion. The bench seats themselves were enough for three people to sit comfortably in. Saiyuri had her own bench, and Sakura, Kakashi and Tazuna were sharing the one across.

Saiyuri was sleeping, and was laying across the bench seat. She had a thick blanket, graciously provided by The Caravanner, spread across her body. She was lightly snoring. A few strands of hair were loosely hanging in front of her face.

Naruto reached down, and gently tucked the hair behind her ear. Saiyuri murmured lightly, and moved around slightly, before becoming still once more.

The hooded blonde carefully tucked his arms under Saiyuri's upper back and knees, and lifted gently, the sleeping girl was roused somewhat by the sudden motion.

Naruto sat down, and placed Saiyuri back on the bench, ensuring her head would lay in his lap. Saiyuri seemed ready to wake at all the movement, but Naruto began gently stroking her face. Saiyuri mumbled something incoherent, before returning to her dreams, a smile on her face. Naruto momentarily kneaded her long, raven hair, before returning it to his side.

_'Naruto...?'_

He closed his eyes as Kushina's uneasily called his name.

'Kushina...I was hoping you weren't going to see that.'

_'Are you okay?'_

'Never been better. Why?'

_'Naruto, don't you dare lie to me. Are you doing alright?'_

'As I said before, I'm perfectly fine.'

_'The bloodbath just a few minutes ago tells me otherwise.'_

Naruto closed his eyes, and leaned his head back against the wood panels of the coach.

'Would you have done any different?'

_'…'_

'That's what I thought.'

_'Don't snark to me.' _

'You needn't worry about me Kushina. They're just adding onto a very long list. A list that won't end any time soon.'

_'I know...'_

'Don't feel guilty. Would it have been any different even if I remained human? I'd still be killing.'

_'I suppose.'_

'I'll come join you soon enough. I want to see how you changed the mindscape anyway.'

_'Okay...Ana-chan is getting some rest. The Kyuubi is too.'_

'Right. I'll be there soon.'

_'See you then...'_

Kushina went silent.

Naruto looked down at Saiyuri's sleeping form, and after making sure she was comfortable, nodded off.

**(Naruto's mindscape)**

When Naruto's vision returned, it wasn't to the sewer he was so familiar with.

It was a wonderful forest instead. Trees were everywhere. The chirping of birds rung out all around. A pair of slender arms wrapped around his waist, and he turned. Kushina was staring at him, a troubled look in her eyes. Naruto gently hugged her, and she sighed out in relief, pressing the side of her head against his chest.

"I saw memories of you killing...but I never thought you could be so..." Kushina was muted when Naruto lightly closed her lips with one finger.

"I know. There's a lot about me you still don't know. Things I honestly don't want you to know."

The red-haired woman tightly squeezed, and Naruto could feel a few tears leaking out of her eyes.

"I want to know! I want to heal you! To make that loneliness of eternity bearable!" She looked up at him, tears were now freely streaming from her eyes, and there was a pleading expression on her face.

"I want to see you happy forever..." She whispered out.

Naruto placed his hands around her jaw, and pressed his forehead against hers. Kushina closed her eyes, and let a few quiet sobs out.

She had the same problem that Naruto had. Deep within, she was scarred in ways impossible to heal. Being unable to find her son, being alone for all that time...She had to make do by herself, as any fellow spirit she encountered was almost always hostile. So she was forced to destroy them, just to survive. The only thing that drove her was finding Naruto.

And then she finds him. And to her delight, he's become strong and even found someone who he trusted and even loved. But still, he was damaged.

In her absence, Naruto had to kill at an extremely young age, and had little to no help in coping with what he had done. That damn old monkey offered a few meaningless words, and the therapists never understood.

And it _hurt. _It hurt so much...to know her son had been lost in the darkness for so long, he grew used to, and even learned to control it.

His very soul was irrevocably changed as well. It was indistinguishable from the Demons that resided in Hell.

It was torture to her. To know that her son would likely never change from the killer he had become. Around the people he loved, he could be gentle, sensitive, and loving. But place him near a stranger who so much as looked at him the wrong way, and he'd kill them.

Kami help someone who Naruto truly loathed.

Kushina continued to sob, Naruto holding her close all the while. Soon enough, Kushina's tears dried, and she felt faint. She began to go limp, and would have fallen to the floor, if Naruto wasn't gripping her. He carefully laid her down on the grass, and observed her sleeping form.

There were a few stains on her cheeks, the salty trail that her tears left behind. He lay down beside her, and after gently wiping away the tear stains, held her close.

He wouldn't let go until he arrived to Nami.

* * *

**Right then! Little bit of a shorter chapter, didn't have much time to work on it, but I hope it works nonetheless! Make sure to review!**


	14. Chapter 14

_Chapter 14_

_Red waves..._

"_If a mistake is not a stepping stone, it is a mistake."-Eli Siegal_

The road to Nami no Kuni was ending soon. The day was just beginning, and the songbirds were singing their morning greeting. The sun was out, and the sky was clear. Nary a cloud in sight.

"Alright! We're here!" The Caravanner yelled out, rousing the passengers of her caravan.

Kakashi groaned as he lightly rubbed at his visible eye, and worked out the kinks in his back and shoulders. Sakura awoke with a snort, and she wiped away the saliva that leaked from her open mouth. Tazuna jerked to consciousness, sake spilling out over the jar he had fallen asleep with. Saiyuri yawned and momentarily snuggled further into her blanket. Her pillow was oddly rigid yet comfortably warm.

Wait. Pillow?

She opened her eyes, and her first sight was of black jeans. She turned her head, and noticed Naruto.

Oh.

She was laying in his lap.

Naruto awoke, and sat up straight. He looked down at Saiyuri, and spoke.

"Hey. You sleep well?"

The female Uchiha slowly nodded. A blush slowly forming on her cheeks. She had slept with Naruto! Well...not _that _way, but still!

Naruto lightly tapped her on the forehead, and she blinked once in response.

"Come on. We're at Nami. It's time to get Tazuna to his house."

Saiyuri nodded once more, the blush fading away, and she sat up out of his lap. The two exited the coach, and while Saiyuri was busy stretching out her limbs, Naruto observed the environment with a keen eye.

So far, nothing to be concerned about. A few small heat signatures here and there, more than likely birds.

"Okay then! You're all here. I'll be off." The Caravanner yelled out.

Naruto turned to her at the head of the coach, and spoke.

"Thanks for the lift. You look like you could do with some extra coin." He reached into his left pocket, and pulled out a few thousand ryo worth of coins kept in a small coin purse. He tossed it at The Caravanner, who caught it with a slight smile on her face. When Team 7 and their client all disembarked, The Caravanner turned her coach around, and ordered her horses to begin galloping away. She turned to her former passengers and hollered out.

"Goodbye! And good luck with whatever you're doing!"

Kakashi waved to her in response, and The Caravanner sped off. The former Anbu turned to Naruto, an eye-smile on his face.

"Thanks for hiring her Naruto. I'll see if I can scrounge up some ryo to pay you back once we get back to the village."

The hooded blonde shrugged off Kakashi's gratitude. Team 7 and their client began heading towards where Tazuna lived. It was some distance away from the main town, and had a good waterfront, as Tazuna said.

Their client spoke up, a slight panic in his voice.

"Okay...We should get off the main road now. I have a friend who's helping me get back to my house. He has a boathouse nearby. Just follow me." Tazuna veered off the beaten path, and Team 7 followed him.

They had been walking for a few minutes on a dirt trail that, as Tazuna said, would lead to the boathouse where Tazuna's fisherman friend was waiting.

Kakashi was looking at his Icha-Icha book, and didn't seem to be paying much attention to his surroundings. Sakura looked bored out her mind, and tried to entertain herself by counting the number of rocks they passed. Saiyuri and Naruto were hanging back, Naruto having wrapped his arm around Saiyuri's waist, bringing her close to him. Saiyuri had responded in kind, and had her head pressed against his chest, listening to the heartbeat he manufactured for her.

Naruto himself had his hood pulled back, revealing his spiky, blonde hair to the world. He kept his guard up all the while, ensuring no one was trying to sneak around. His eyes narrowed at the sight ahead.

A puddle. Directly in the middle of the path. There were two identifiable heat signatures in the puddle as well.

More than likely missing nin hired by Gato, the businessman and under-the-table drug dealer that had set up shop in Nami.

Naruto knew all there was to know about Gato. The man was greedy, self-serving and a miser. He likely saw a good place to distribute illicit contraband out of Nami. And oppressed the native residents there, ruling them with fear and the threat of death. It seemed the pint-sized tycoon fancied himself a dictator.

He saw Kakashi turn his head towards Naruto, visible eye remaining half-lidded. The silver-haired jonin motioned to the puddle with his head, and Naruto nodded. He removed his arm from Saiyuri, much to her disappointment given the quiet whine she gave, and stalked forward until he was leading the group. Tazuna moved aside, and was about to ask what Naruto was doing, before a chain appearing to be made of shurikens suddenly erupted from the puddle. Two male figures emerged, each with a metal gauntlet on one of their hands, the one with spiky hair having it on his left, and the one with straight hair, his right. The chain was connect to both gauntlets, and the two ambushers wrapped the chain around Naruto.

"Ready Gozu?!" The spiky haired attacker yelled out. "Ready Meizu!" His companion barked out. The two ran in opposite directions, clearly intending to shred Naruto to pieces, but something odd happened.

No matter how hard they pulled, they couldn't slice that hooded kid apart. The fuck!?

Naruto freed his arms from the chains, and gripped onto both sides of the chain that once bound him.

Gozu tried to release the chain, but never could. Naruto yanked the chain, and both brothers were pulled in towards Naruto. He let go of the chain, and formed his Claws. The two brothers were too occupied trying to release the chain in mid-flight, and so, they never saw it coming.

Naruto sliced at the two as they sailed past him.

And the arms that the gauntlets were attached were cut off at the shoulder.

Both Gozu and Meizu screamed out in agony, even as they tumbled at the end of their unplanned air travel. Both brothers tumbled and rolled, further aggravating their wound. Gozu gripped at the new stump, trying his very best to stem the blood flow. Meizu simply let loose a tormented howl, and desperately grabbed at where his arm once was. The two were silenced when twin tendrils wrapped around their necks, very nearly crushing their trachea, and they were pulled back to Naruto, and deposited roughly in front of him.

"The Demon Brothers. You hail from Kirigakure, and left as missing nin." His voice eerily flat. He ignored Gozu's hateful glare, and backhanded him to the floor, proceeding to step on, and begin grinding his boot, onto his new stump. Gozu cried out in pain, before he was made silent again by Naruto viciously stomping on his head. "You're not too special. You rely on tandem attacks. And I have a feeling you answer to a stronger missing nin." He pressed down more on Gozu's skull, causing him to begin begging for his life.

"Please! Don't kill me! I'll tell you who I work for!" Naruto put more pressure on Gozu's head, drawing a satisfying scream. He could distinctly feel the bone starting to give way. "AUUUGH! HIS NAME IS ZABUZA MOMOCHI! PLEASE DO..." Gozu was rendered forever mute as Naruto crushed his skull, the head exploding in much the same manner a burst watermelon would. A few bone fragments were sent flying away, and a pink gelatinous mass, once identifiable as a human brain, leaked out of the destroyed skull. A puddle of blood began forming around where Meizu's head used to be. Naruto faintly heard Sakura begin gagging behind him, but swiftly turned his attention elsewhere.

Namely, Gozu.

The remaining Demon Brother cried out in bereavement.

"GOZU!" Anything Meizu would have said more was cut off as Naruto planted his foot into Meizu's face, catapulting the missing nin a good twenty feet away. Naruto crouched momentarily, before pouncing, Claws burrowing into Meizu's chest. He hoisted Meizu into the air, the missing nin, barely alive, and began to pull Meizu into opposite directions. The mutilated missing nin gave out one last weak plea for help, before he was rent in two, showering Naruto in blood, and viscera.

He gave a slight scoff, before tossing away both halves of Meizu. He needn't consume them. And he didn't want to anyway. Not in sight of Kakashi or Sakura at least.

Kakashi's visible eye was wide. He wasn't expecting Naruto to be so...creative with his kills. A hint of horror began welling up within him.

Naruto hadn't hesitated once. He killed with the ease of someone who took lives almost every day. And judging from the smirk tugging at his lips, he enjoyed it.

Tazuna had his own bespectacled eyes as wide as a pair of dinner plates. His mouth opened and closed silently. Trying to form words that would be a proper reaction to the brutality he just witnessed.

Sakura had ducked behind a nearby tree, and she could be heard vomiting and heaving behind it.

And Saiyuri?

She looked on without a change in her expression. The cruelty she witnessed drew no reaction from her. She walked forward to Naruto, and helped peel off some intestines that hung from shoulder's, also reaching up to pick away at some fragments of shattered spine caught in Naruto's hair. Her work done, she smiled lightly and wrapped her arms around his waist, caring nothing for the blood that coated Naruto's jacket. Naruto lightly caressed her cheek with a blood-soaked Claw, leaving a small trail of red on her face. He shifted his arms back into their normal form, and wiped away as much blood as he could off his body. He turned to the two men staring at him.

"The fuck you looking at? Let's keep moving." Naruto growled out. He turned away from Kakashi and Tazuna, and continued on down the path, Saiyuri still clinging to him. She seemed strangely happy, and she started to hum a little tune.

Kakashi broke out of his stupor and turned to Sakura.

"Hey Sakura! You doing alright?"

She responded by regurgitating her partially-digested breakfast.

"Um...Okay! I guess me and Tazuna will just wait here...I guess...We'll um...wait for you to get your queasiness under control."

She responded to that by hurling up the dinner she ate last night.

**(A few minutes later)**

The rest of Team 7, as well as Tazuna continued on, Sakura only appearing slightly ill.

They found Naruto and Saiyuri awaiting them at the boathouse. It seemed the fisherman that would help them infiltrate Nami had gotten the fright of his life, as Naruto just appeared behind him. Still covered in copious amounts of blood.

Kakashi had grilled Tazuna for lying about the dangers of the mission and threatened to withdraw his team. After Tazuna begged and pleaded, the matter was settled when Naruto resolved to continue forward. If only to get a few weeks away from Konoha.

Once Team 7 set off, the fisherman made his dislike of Naruto rather apparent.

"I'm telling you Tazuna, the kid came out of nowhere, and was staring at me for Kami knows how long! And he's all coated in blood, looking for all the world like he just done bathing in the stuff!"

Tazuna sighed as his friend continued to rave about Naruto. The man hadn't shut up about him since Team 7 got into his boat.

"I'm going to say it now. I will never get a lick of sleep anymore. That blonde kid is going to haunt my nightmares for the rest of my life!" The fisherman shivered lightly.

Naruto was starting to get a little irked at the fisherman. The fucker just wouldn't shut the hell up. As much as Naruto wanted to separate his head from his shoulders he restrained himself, and focused on Saiyuri, who was seated next to him, arms wrapped around his chest. His own left arm was currently draped over her, and Saiyuri was pressing her head into his chest again, listening to the false heartbeat he designed specifically for her. Her eyes were closed and a smile was on her face. Naruto had cleaned off the blood, and his clothing was pristine. As though he hadn't ripped a man in twain, and was showered in his blood.

Kakashi looked at Naruto and Saiyuri with a suspicious eye. It was more than concerning how the two were entirely desensitized to such a sight like a man having been ripped in half, or another with his skull split apart. He had thought Saiyuri had been noted as stable by her therapists.

Apparently, said therapists needed to be fired NOW.

Naruto wasn't too much of a surprise, considering the life he had led, but it was still shocking to Kakashi how he dispatched the Demon Brothers so grotesquely.

Sure, it meant that Kakashi didn't have to take time to teach either Naruto or Saiyuri how to deal with killing, but he didn't want them to completely disregard human life. After all, it was human to hesitate to kill. To consider the pros and cons, of killing someone. But those two...Naruto had attacked and killed on sight, and Saiyuri wasn't perturbed in the least. If anything she seemed..._**amused. **_As though she just witnessed someone stumble clumsily.

It was incredibly disconcerting. Kakashi saw a way to honor his friend Obito's memory in his young female cousin, but he had a feeling that Obito would be aghast at Saiyuri's insensitivity to violence.

He'd have to converse with the Hokage about having his two most powerful students undergo a mental examination. If the two were found with any outstanding instabilities, he'd have to consider letting them go.

Konoha needed sane and rational shinobi. Not psychopaths. It was a depressing thought, to think of Minato-sensei's son in such a manner. Naruto heavily resembled his father, but couldn't be any more different than his father.

Even when Minato utilized the Hiraishin to decimate Iwa's army in The Third Shinobi World War, he never enjoyed it. It was something that haunted him to the day of his death. While Naruto was more than likely able to garrote a man with his own excised spine, whistling a merry tune all the while.

Naruto seemed to finally notice Kakashi looking at him, and had a small tendril emerge from his shoulder and undulate slightly. It was more than enough to make Kakashi tear his eye away.

Naruto retracted the tendril, and cuddled with Saiyuri, resting his chin on her head, closing his eyes.

It was just about ten minutes later the fisherman came to a stop at the riverbank where Tazuna resided. Team 7 disembarked, but Tazuna had some issues trying to get out of the boat, which was remedied by Naruto grabbing onto his collar and tossing him away. Tazuna rolled a few feet after landing, and his movement was stopped by the trunk of a tree. Tazuna had managed to pull his head out of the new hole he had created in the tree, and glared at Naruto for a while before being subdued by a rather baleful glower. After pulling out a few splinters, hissing out in pain with every single splinter, Tazuna continued forward.

Team 7 returned to their original routine, Kakashi staring at his Icha-Icha, Sakura bored, and Naruto and Saiyuri practically merged at the hip, and this continued for around fifteen minutes.

Then all hell broke loose.

It started with an odd rustling in a nearby bush. Naruto responded in a manner befitting a professional shinobi.

By leaping at the bush, Claws out, and slicing away at the obscuring foliage. And a rather adorable **(Delectable to Naruto) **sight was revealed.

A little floppy-eared white bunny, shivering in terror at the sight of Naruto. It's black eyes stared up at Naruto, wide and clearly broadcasting the panic the little rodent felt.

The hooded blonde smirked, and picked up the little rabbit by the scruff of it's neck, using the blunt sides of his Claws.

"Hey look. We found lunch." He grinned, revealing his larger, and sharper, than normal canine teeth. He pushed his index Claw against the rabbit's throat, drawing a squeal from it.

Kakashi placed a palm to face, and spoke, only slightly muffled.

"Could you please just tone it down a little Naruto?"

Naruto scoffed, drawing the Claw just a little bit closer to the rodent's throat.

"Me? Tone it down? Yeah sure. I'll get right on that." He looked down at the rabbit in his grasp, and licked his lips. "Right after some nice rabbit meat."

Kakashi sighed again, and removed his palm from his face.

Then he noticed something.

The rabbit was completely white.

It was out-of-season.

It was _domesticated. _

Kakashi swiftly tackled Sakura and Tazuna to the ground and yelled out.

"Get down!"

Saiyuri immediately went prone to the ground, pulling out a pair of kunai in preparation to counter-attack.

And Naruto?

He formed his Blade on his right arm, tossing away the rabbit, and parrying edge-to-edge with an immense sword, the other blade having been thrown at the Team.

The hooded blonde identified it at the Kubikiribocho. One of blades used by The Seven Ninja Swordsmen of the Mist. A grin tore his face in half.

Zabuza was here...

He reached out with his Clawed hand, gripping the sword by it's handle, and tossed it away into a nearby tree. A figure appeared, standing on the blade itself.

Zabuza Momochi was a fairly tall man, just over six feet. He had short, spiky, black hair, and brown eyes. His nose and mouth were obscured by bandages wrapped around his face. He was shirtless, revealing his bulky figure, and was only wearing a belt to which the Kubikiribocho was likely attached to. His lower attire consisted of baggy pants with the black and white striped pattern typical of most Kiri shinobi. Wrist-warmers that extended to his elbows, and leg warmers shared the pattern, with black shinobi sandals being his footwear.

Zabuza spoke to Naruto directly.

"Huh. For a genin, you're rather attentive, blondie." He narrowed his eyes, focusing on the bladed appendages that replaced Naruto's limbs. "What kind of henge technique is that? That blade-arm is very much real, and looks very sharp. So are those Claws...Is it some kind of Kekkai Genkai?" Zabuza crossed his arms, and leaned against the tree trunk, awaiting Naruto's answer.

The hooded blonde's grin, faded somewhat, becoming a smirk.

"It's one of those two. Say, Zabuza...?" Said missing nin raised an eyebrow at hearing his name. This 'genin' was awfully well-informed. "You and me...right now. I've always wanted to fight a proper swordsman."

Zabuza kept his brow raised, and a questioning look appeared on what could be seen on his face.

"Oh? You really think you can take me o..." Zabuza was interrupted when Naruto leaped forward, Blade reared back, aiming to slice Zabuza from shoulder to hip. The missing nin widened his eyes, and scarcely managed to get out of the way of the blonde's Blade. The tree his own sword was embedded in was carved in half, along a diagonal path, the upper half of the tree slowly slid off the incline of the lower, before impacting the ground, and falling, the crack of timber shot out, and chips of tree bark flew out in all directions. The sword had been launched from the tree itself, clattering against the grassy ground a dozen feet away.

Zabuza immediately bolted to the sword, but was intercepted when Naruto barged into him, his shoulder impacting squarely into the right side of his chest. Zabuza hissed out in pain as he felt his clavicle snap like a twig, and he was sent flying off into another tree, striking against it with the front of his body, folding in half around the unforgivingly rigid wood. The former Ninja Swordsmen groaned in pain as he slowly peeled off the trunk, splinters and bark digging into his skin, drawing some blood. He was reintroduced to the ground below with an excruciating thud, his snapped collar bone slicing and piercing at nearby muscle and flesh within, eventually puncturing the skin, and the stark white bone revealed to the world, crimson fluid dripping off the fractured bone.

Zabuza stifled a cry of pain, every movement seemed to make the bone move to and fro, further widening the wound.

Naruto crouched down, having changed his Blade into another set of Claws, and gripped the handle of Kubikiribocho and lifting it as though it little more than a paperweight. He placed the blunt side of the sword on his shoulder, and strolled over to Zabuza. He swung the blade, the edge slicing into, and planting into, the trunk, the keen edge just a hairs-breadth away from his skin. Zabuza attempted to form a hand sign with his left hand, it couldn't be an offensive jutsu, but something that got him away from his soon-to-be killer would be more than enough.

Zabuza never quite got the chance to finish the sequence of hand seals, as Naruto brutally stomped down on his hand, snapping numerous fingers. Zabuza couldn't quite play tough anymore, and he let loose an agonized growl. The blade of Kubikiribocho began to slice into his neck, drawing a rivulet of blood that trailed down his body.

Naruto's free Clawed hand clenched into a fist, and jabbed at Zabuza's face, the missing nin's head whipping back and bouncing off the tree. Zabuza was dazed at the incredibly disorienting combination of whiplash and a concussion, and he felt the metallic Claws wrap around his skull, forcing him to look directly at Naruto's eyes.

Those blue-silver irises glowed briefly, and a disappointed look was on Naruto's face.

"I must say, I'm not too pleased at your performance. I thought you were supposed to be an A-rank missing nin?" Naruto scoffed, and began to compress Zabuza's skull, drawing another growl from him, reprimanded by Naruto bashing the back of Zabuza's head against the tree once more, leaving a noticeable dent in the timber.

"Oh well. Another one bites the dust, as it were." Naruto was about to push the Kubikiribocho forward, decapitating his quarry, but was interrupted when two senbon needles pierced the size of Zabuza's neck. The missing nin seemed to have been finished by that, his body going limp in Naruto's grasp. Naruto briefly growled, letting go of the Kubikiribocho and Zabuza's head, and after shifting his right arm into his Blade, placed it at the neck of the Kiri hunter-nin, who had shunshined next to Naruto. The edge of the blade was aligned with the hunter-nin's neck, and the Kiri shinobi had their hands raised in surrender. The hunter-nin spoke, their voice either belonging to a rather effeminate male, or a young woman. Naruto wasn't sure.

"Relax, Konoha-san. I'm just here to collect the corpse."

The hooded blonde thought otherwise. All of the Five Great Shinobi Villages had their own hunter-nin division, and protocol was identical between all of them. Find, kill, and destroy the body.

This hunter-nin was a fraud.

He was about to separate the hunter-nin's head from their shoulders, but was interuptted by Anastasia's voice within his mind.

_**'Easy there Naruto...Let them go.'**_

He growled internally, and questioned her.

'Why the fuck would I do that? Whoever this fake hunter-nin is, they're likely working for Zabuza. She's a threat!'

_**'Just trust me on this Naruto. Calm down, and let them go.'**_

He remained silent, and after a few seconds, lowered the Blade. He shifted his arms to their normal form, and crossed his arms.

'Okay...I have a feeling you're planning something...'

_**'Don't worry. This will be a good thing I'm sure.'**_

'Fine...'

"Sorry about that. You kinda took my kill there." His eyes glowed a dim red. "And I was kind of pissed off at that."

The false hunter-nin lowered their hands, and bowed their head in apology.

"I see. I'm sorry."

Naruto crouched down, pulling out the Kubikiribocho from the tree, making the hunter-nin tense somewhat. He swung it around a few times, before holding it out, and peering down the blade.

"This is a little bit too cumbersome for my likes. You can have it." He tossed the sword at the false hunter-nin with some speed, and judging from how swiftly they caught it, and the little difficulty they experienced when handling it, this false hunter-nin was more than likely Zabuza's apprentice of some sort. The false hunter-nin then shouldered Zabuza's 'corpse', and shunshined away.

Naruto uncrossed his arms, and walked back to where Team 7 and Tazuna were. Team 7 had long since gotten to their feet, and had observed Naruto decimating Zabuza. Kakashi had noted the battle, if it even be called that with a watchful eye.

Naruto fought with a very simple strategy. Attack constantly, not allowing your opponent enough time to react. He hurled himself with little to no regard for his own life at his foe, and it seemed to work.

A seeming suicidal charge forward to make his opponent underestimate him, and a flowing, unpredictable combat style.

He had yet to witness his competence when the enemy is attacking back, but considering how the Demon Brothers had no success in their own tandem attack, it was likely Naruto somehow hardened his skin or something similar to that.

How else could it explain his resilience to those chains?

Sakura was wide-eyed. Much like Tazuna beforehand, her mouth opened and closed, her teeth sometimes clicking together. Tazuna stared for a moment before mumbling under his breath and taking another swig of sake. It was something about crazy blondes maybe?

Saiyuri was smiling all the while as she watched the fight, even giving out a few cheers when Naruto had shoulder-rammed Zabuza. He walked up in front of her, and the two began walking towards where Tazuna was meant to live, having an idle conversation along the way.

Kakashi and Tazuna, started following the two, only to double back to retrieve a still dumbfounded Sakura.

Hopefully, Tazuna didn't have any annoying relatives.

It would be a shame for the old man to lose a family member so quickly.


	15. Chapter 15

_Chapter 15_

_An Uchiha's ecstasy, and a Vixen revealed_

"_The tragedy in a man's life, is what dies inside him while he lives..." -Henry David Thoreau_

* * *

Team 7 had arrived at Tazuna's home late in the night. The full moon was out, and the stars were shining in the sky. A few crickets chirped here and there.

Tazuna's home was fairly ramshackle. The porch was falling apart, the blinds were scarcely hanging on to the windowsills, overall, the house was in poor condition. The interior, or least what could be seen through the windows was of a similar condition.

Not that Naruto cared. If it had spare beds, or if need be, a couch, and a roof over his head, it would suffice. Sakura was quick to make her opinion of the house known, commenting on how in disrepair it was. Tazuna offered some context, stating that Gato, the man who ruled Nami with an iron fist, was bleeding the town dry, and it was nigh impossible for even the most basic of supplies to get into Nami. Gato's men lived in luxury, leaving the locals to wallow in poverty.

The pink-haired genin flinched, and offered an apology.

Naruto didn't quite get the gist of any further conversation, as he and Saiyuri quickly walked up to the door, the hooded blonde knocking on the door a few times.

A woman's voice called out.

"Coming!" And after several locks were disengaged, each one making a little click, the door swung open inwards, revealing the woman.

She was fairly pretty, with black hair, with a blueish tint that cascaded down to her lower back. She wore a pink blouse, with a red collar, and the ends of the sleeves the same color. A dark blue skirt concealed her lower body, and a simple pair of ordinary sandals were her footwear of choice. She was roughly in her very late twenties, to very early thirties.

The woman frowned in suspicion when she saw the two strangers standing there, and reached back to the kitchen knife concealed on the back of her skirt. She spoke slowly, a hint of fear in her voice.

"W-Who are you?"

Naruto raised a hand and introduced himself and Saiyuri.

"I'm Naruto." He motioned towards Saiyuri. "And this is Saiyuri. We're part of the ninja team hired to protect Tazuna. I presume you're his daughter?"

The woman released a relieved sigh, and nodded.

"Is Tou-san here?"

Naruto nodded and stepped aside so that Tazuna could walk past. The old man's face wrinkled with a smile, as he greeted his daughter with a warm hug, the woman reciprocating.

The two stopped hugging, and Tazuna's daughter introduced herself.

"I'm sorry for the suspicion, I can't be too careful. My name is Tsunami. Please, come in."

She stepped inside, revealing the knife she had hid within the waistband of her skirt, and after she removed it, and placed it back within the rack in the kitchen, turned back to Team 7, Kakashi and Sakura having entered a few moments before.

"Please, all of you, make yourself at home! I'll cook up some dinner for you all." She announced with a small smile. She didn't have much food, but if the ninjas her father hired were successful in helping him construct the bridge, she'd return to her normal life. Before that man Gato had...

She harshly put a stop to that train of thought. She didn't want to think of what that horrible man had done. The pain was still fresh in her heart.

Tsunami observed Team 7 take up different positions in the living room, Kakashi sprawled across the couch, Icha-Icha in hand. Sakura had taken a seat at one at the dining table, and looked around her new surroundings, a look of curiosity on her face.

Then she heard the one in the white hood speak again.

"Hey, Tsunami." Said civilian woman lightly shivered as those blue-silver eyes locked onto her own. They looked so...unnatural. She could swear they _glowed slightly._ "Where's the bedroom? I'm assuming it's upstairs." She nodded, eager to get that rather scary-looking young man away from her.

Naruto walked up the stairs, followed by Saiyuri, and he took the first door on his right, swinging it open.

The room was mostly bare. A night-table and a single bed. There was a hanging light, currently off. A pull cord hung from the side. Naruto gripped it, and tugged. The light came on, flickering momentarily. The light didn't do much to actually illuminate, but it was better than nothing, at least for Saiyuri. The light revealed a window at the very back of the room, almost perfectly framing the full moon in the sky.

Naruto walked over to the bed, and sat down. The mattress was a little bit hard, and the springs would likely leave a human with some minor back pain.

Well, that wouldn't do. Saiyuri had a bed back at Konoha that was adjustable so she would get the perfect rest. He'd have to do something to make her feel more comfortable.

"Say, Saiyuri." He quietly spoke. The female Uchiha turned to him, and responded.

"Yeah, Naruto?"

"This bed is a little bit...old. You might experience some pain when you wake up. The springs are barely compressible, and the mattress itself is kinda stiff. Why don't you sleep with me tonight? I imagine I'll be a lot softer than this thing."

Saiyuri felt another damn blush start growing on her cheeks. Did Naruto know what he did to her?! And why'd he have to phrase it like that!?

"U-Um..." She couldn't even form words, she was so embarrassed. Her tied tongue only serve to make her blush even brighter. Naruto noticed her, and started chuckling good-naturedly.

"Heh. You look so cute when you're blushing like that." Without warning, he wrapped his arms around her, and pulled her into him, drawing a yelp from her. When Naruto started outright laughing, she took on an expression of mock anger, and swatted him lightly on the chest.

"Don't scare me like that, Naruto!" There was no rancor in her words. And it was made apparent as she soon lost the mock angry look, having it replaced with a happy smile, as Naruto got up and after lifting her off her feet, started slowly spinning her around. He had a similarly happy look on his face. His eyes glowing somewhat brighter. He stopped the impromptu merry-go-round, much to Saiyuri's discontent, given the pout she had.

She soon lost it as Naruto guided her to the bed, and once he lay down, had her rest on top of him, their chests were together, and Naruto could distinctly feel her growing bosom mash up against him. Saiyuri gave a content sigh, and lightly nuzzled Naruto's face. Her breath was warm against his own frigid 'skin'. Saiyuri seemed to notice how cold Naruto felt, and began to lightly shiver.

Naruto frowned, and commanded the biomass that was just under his 'skin' to begin moving rapidly, generating friction, and thus heat. His 'skin' started warming up, until it was the same temperature as a human's own skin. Saiyuri gave another contented sigh. She reached over, and pulled the blanket over the two of them. Their eyes met, and Saiyuri started whispering to Naruto.

"I love this...being so close to you...you make me feel so happy..." She breathed out next to Naruto's ear.

"I do too. This is such a good thing." Naruto closed his eyes, and leaned back against the pillow. "I'm usually such a cold and unforgiving killer...I'm certain that if we weren't so close..."

Saiyuri looked at Naruto with a hint of concern, and responded.

"You're certain of what...?"

He sighed deeply, and gently placed his hand against her cheek, fingers dancing across her silky smooth skin.

"_I know you'd think of me as a monster." _He quietly said, Saiyuri had to strain to hear what he said, and once she did...

The female Uchiha quickly placed both hands on the sides of Naruto's face, and gained a fierce expression.

"No I wouldn't! You're not a monster, Naruto! And you'll never be one! Ever!" She nearly screamed out those words, but remembered she wasn't in one of the soundproofed rooms in the bunker, so she instead hissed out those words.

She began caressing his own cheeks, fingers dragging along the almost scar-like whiskers on his cheek.

"You're so kind to me...to my mother...to Anastasia, and Kushina. You love us all so much...Answer me this Naruto..."

Naruto opened his eyes, the glow having dimmed somewhat. Saiyuri continued.

"_Can a monster love? If it can, is it still a monster?"_

Naruto blinked a few times, unable to find an answer.

Saiyuri smiled sweetly at him, and pressed her forehead against his.

"You're not a monster Naruto. You may have killed so many, but I don't care about that." Saiyuri's eyes locked with his own, rooting Naruto in place.

"You love me. I know you do. And I love you. It doesn't matter how many you kill, what lives you destroy, I couldn't care less. You could kill every person in the world, and I'd still love you." Her voice took on a pained quality, as a tear started forming in the corner of her eye.

"Please...don't ever call yourself that ever again..."

Naruto was stunned.

How had this girl, this human girl, worm her way into his black heart? When had he truly started loving her? Was it when she started trying to be friends with him? Or when she went out of her way to make sure he wasn't by himself?

When Naruto spoke, his voice coming out barely audible.

"Why do you love me so much? How can you? Why aren't you afra..." He was cut off when Saiyuri suddenly kissed him.

Her soft velvety lips were moist, and after the briefest of moments, Naruto started to respond to the kiss. Her breath came out in muffled moans, and she started grinding herself against his leg. Saiyuri really didn't wear bras, only using bandages to cover her bust, and thusly, Naruto could distinctly feel her erect nipples rubbing tantalizingly against his chest.

Saiyuri was about to reach down for Naruto's crotch, before Naruto gently restrained her by the wrist, and broke the kiss momentarily.

"You so sure you want to do it now? Here?" He muttered quietly. She nodded franctically.

"Yes..." She hissed out. "I want to feel you, Naruto..." She moaned out the last syllable, the words flowing out lyrically.

Naruto smirked, and kissed her once more.

**(LEMON ALERT! LEMON ALERT! BATTEN DOWN THE HATCHES! SKIP AHEAD TO THE NEXT BOLD TEXT IF YOU DON'T WANT TO SEE!)**

Saiyuri started moaning once more, Naruto had managed to force her teeth open, and was probing the interior of her mouth with his own tongue. She attempted to respond, but her own tongue was quickly forced down as Naruto's tongue swirled around. He eventually relented, allowing Saiyuri to force his tongue out of her mouth. He stopped kissing her, licking a molten trail down to side of her neck, drawing a few pleasured sighs from Saiyuri. Once he reached his destination, he began to carefully suck, and lightly bite, much to Saiyuri's enjoyment, given the quiet gasps of pleasure she gave.

A hand snaked it's way up her trim stomach, unclasping the blue shirt she wore, revealing more unblemished, creamy white skin. Saiyuri gasped lightly as the cool night air tickled her flesh, drawing a few goosebumps. Naruto's hand eventually reached to the last clasp, and Saiyuri helped him get the shirt off of her, tossing it aside to a corner of the room, revealing her upper body, the only thing covered being her bosom, said soft mounds covered only by a few bandages loosely wrapped around her chest. Naruto stopped sucking at her neck, and began unwrapping the bandages.

"Heh." He breathed out, his eyes glowing with delight. "Why do I feel like I'm unwrapping a gift here, Yuri-chan?" Said girl was going to respond, but Naruto fully unwrapped her chest, and she couldn't help the shiver, as the cold brushed across her exposed skin and her pink nipples. If they weren't completely stiff before, they most certainly were now.

"W-Wait..."She moaned out. "You're not e-even undressed yet...It's n-not fair..." She gave a mewl as Naruto began to squeeze her breasts lightly, her hand coming up to Naruto's and helping guide him to the spots where it felt the best.

Naruto's smirk had only widened, and he began pinching her nipples, drawing a pleased hiss from Saiyuri. He began lightly tugging, making her gasp in pleasure.

"Hah...ha...s-stop teasing m-me..." She barely managed to whisper out. Her world was starting to become a haze from the incredible pleasure she was feeling.

Naruto's smirk became a full-on grin, and he chuckled in response.

"Okay...If you say so..."

A tendril soon took the place of Naruto's hand, coiling around her left breast, terminating at her nipple, and began to lightly squeeze directly on the soft pink flesh, drawing more pleasured sounds from Saiyuri. He began to help Saiyuri out of her shorts, and leggings. She had long since taken off her sandals. Once her panty-clad entrance was fully revealed, he retracted the thin tendril from Saiyuri's breast, causing her to whine. He put his fingers around the waistband of her panties, and in a tortuously slow manner, pulled them down to her ankles, and off of her body entirely. Naruto tossed away all three articles of clothing in the same corner as her shirt, and reached down to her now fully exposed, shaved, womanhood.

She quickly lost herself in pleasure once more when Naruto began stroking her lower lips. She wrapped her arms around Naruto, pressing her bare bust against his chest, and Naruto could feel her sweltering breath come out with every moan, hiss, and mewl that tore from her throat. After teasing her enough, he inserted one finger, and began wriggling it around. She responded very well, as she very nearly screamed out when the finger was inserted, and her moans only increased in volume and pitch the more he moved his finger within her. He inserted another finger, and began rubbing against the sweet spot deep within her, his thumb coming to graze against her clitoris every once in a while. Naruto's fingers certainly did a better job than Saiyuri's did at least.

Soon enough, Saiyuri succumbed to the intense pleasure, and climaxed for the first time, her inner walls tightening around his fingers. She had gave off a particularly loud moan, and panted as she was slowly coming down off her high. Naruto removed his fingers slowly, drawing a few more quiet mewls of ecstasy from Saiyuri, and he held his hand to his face, observing the clear fluid that clung to them. Ensuring Saiyuri was watching, he slowly cleaned his fingers off with an unusually long tongue, relishing in the blush that erupted across Saiyuri's cheeks. He took the moment to observe the almost angelic girl in front of him.

Her skin was a wonderful snow white, her raven tresses falling across her supple body in such a way that it was almost sinful. Her cheeks were a bright red, and her eyes half-lidded with bliss. Nectar flowed ceaselessly from her lower lips, staining the bedsheets.

"I know I've said this before, but Saiyuri..." He stalked closer to her, guiding her to a supine position, he placed his hands on either side of her head, and his still clothed crotch was in line with her own. He leaned down until his mouth was right next to Saiyuri's, and breathed out.

"_You're beautiful..." _He punctuated the words by gently nipping at her ear.

Saiyuri panted a few times before answering.

"T-Thank y-you...Naruto..." She brought Naruto's face to her own, and after gaining a sultry look on her face, somewhat off put by the luminescent blush on her face, she whispered out the next few words.

"Put it in, Naruto...I've waited for this for so long..." She erotically moaned out the last word, drawing a predatory grin from Naruto.

"If you say so," Tendrils swarmed around him and receded, revealing his entirely nude form, his member at full mast, the tip just a few centimeters from her womanhood. _"Yuri-chan..." _He kissed her, and began pushing against her, drawing a muffled moan from Saiyuri, and he pushed further until the head fully penetrated. She momentarily drew back from the kiss to release a pleased sigh. She once more locked her eyes with Naruto, her Sharingan now active, the three tomoe spinning hypnotically.

"A-All the way..._Naru-koi..."_

He complied, pushing forward until he bottomed out completely. Naruto released a quiet grunt, and Saiyuri rejoiced with a gasp of ecstasy. He was filling her completely...

Naruto began to pull back, drawing another breathy moan from Saiyuri, once the head was almost out entirely, he quickly thrust back in fully.

Saiyuri seemed displeased at the rather slow beginning, and wrapped her legs around Naruto's waist. An expression of slight frustration on her face.

"M-Move faster!"

He nodded, and began to quicken his pace, until Naruto was plunging in and out with enough force to start making the bed shake. Saiyuri was in complete and total bliss, a thin trail of saliva swaying to and fro from her open mouth. She attempted to thrust her own hips forward in unison, but that quickly failed once the tsunami of euphoria had come. She suddenly regained her mental faculties and hurriedly kissed Naruto, the whiskered blonde returning it. A few grunts and moans occasionally escaping the seal their lips created. Naruto's right hand returned to her breast, squeezing and pulling in an effort to increase the pleasure she felt.

This continued for about five minutes until Saiyuri felt that coil tightening within her once more. She broke the kiss, and barely managed to speak out.

"Hah...Ahn...Naru-koi...I'm...Hahn...going...Ah...to..." She needn't say anymore, as Naruto nodded.

"M-Me too Saiyuri..." He looked at her, blue-silver eyes glowing brightly in the dark room. "Together?"

The raven-haired girl nodded, unable to form anymore coherent words. Soon enough the coil inside her reached it's breaking point.

"Ah! Naru-koi!" She screamed out, she was almost there!

"I know, Yuri-chan!" Naruto lowly growled out.

Naruto thrusts began to lose some strength, become short and stabbing. Saiyuri similarly had stopped thrusting her hips forward into Naruto. Eventually, Saiyuri's vaginal walls tightened around Naruto's member almost painfully, and Naruto thrust for the last time, his member twitching wildly before the 'semen' erupted out just outside her cervix. He yelled out his own release, and Saiyuri screamed hers as well.

**(LEMON ALERT CEASING! LEMON ALERT CEASING! YOU CAN COME OUT NOW!)**

The two teens were left panting, and in the case of Saiyuri, sweating. Naruto collapsed to Saiyuri's side, bringing her nude and slick form as close to his own as possible. He felt Saiyuri weakly crawl entirely onto his chest, and heard her whisper into his ear.

"You...came...in..."

Naruto gently trailed a finger down her cheek, and looked directly into her Sharingan eyes.

"There's nothing to worry about. I'm not really...fertile."

Saiyuri nodded, a wistful look on her face.

"Oh. So you can't make me..."

He slowly shook his head. But he didn't appear too distraught.

"No. I have a feeling I'd make a pretty bad father anyway..." He chuckled ruefully at the end.

Saiyuri slowly began tracing a pattern of some kind on Naruto's chest.

"No..." She yawned then, her eyes beginning to droop. "You'd make...a great...father..." She closed her eyes, the Sharingan deactivating, and she began to snore lightly.

The blonde looked upon Saiyuri, and tucked a few loose raven strands of hair behind her ear. He kissed her once on the forehead, and whispered out, more to himself than anything.

"Yeah...I guess I would." After hugging Saiyuri tightly to him, he closed his own eyes.

His dream would be of two little children...

A boy with raven hair and blue-silver eyes, and a girl with blonde hair as bright as the sun, with twin pigtails, and coal-black eyes. The two siblings would play around for a while, laughing and giggling all the while.

He saw himself, Saiyuri, and all the other women who he loved above all else watching from afar, all with smiles on their faces.

He hadn't changed much, just looked a bit older.

Saiyuri had changed dramatically, her raven hair now fell nearly to her ankles, and a kind and motherly look was on her face as she gazed at her two darling children. She was a heavenly being almost, her skin shining brightly in the sunlight. She appeared heavily pregnant as well, her right arm wrapped around the swell of her stomach, where her soon-to-be born child grew within.

It was such a pity then...that such a sight could only be in his dreams...

He didn't want to raise a child. It wasn't that he didn't like children. He knew that if he were to somehow impregnate any woman, the resulting child would be just like himself. Another killer. Another destroyer.

Reality had enough to deal with just one of him. He didn't want to make another one.

He wouldn't have children. _Ever._

And he knew deep within, that he'd never be able to properly raise a child.

How could he? When he never had his own childhood?

The dream became awash in flame.

He knew it would never become a reality anyway.

**(Next morning...)**

A ray of light shone directly onto Naruto's eyelid. He groaned for a few moments, before opening his eyes. He briefly glared at the sun.

Damn ball of plasma, thinking it was funny to wake him up so rudely...

He looked down to Saiyuri, still fast asleep. She had moved around during the night it seemed, and she was now straddling him, her lower lips brushing lightly against his currently flaccid member.

Naruto smirked, seeing an opportunity to play a little prank.

**(LIME! LIME! WATCH OUT FOR THE LIME!)**

He willed his member to become rigid once more, and slowly began grinding against her. Saiyuri began panting lightly, and her eyes snapped open. It took the briefest of moments for her to realize two things.

Yes, last night was _**REAL.**_

And, yes, that was Naruto's _**PENIS**_ rubbing against her...

She squealed, and her cheeks flared up.

**(LIME IS OVER! LIME IS OVER! CONTINUE READING!)**

Naruto began laughing, once more willing his genitalia to become flaccid again.

"What? You actually thought last night was a dream?" Saiyuri squeaked like a mouse, making Naruto laugh even harder.

"W-We...I-I...Y-you did...a-and I..." Her blush reached a fever pitch, and she further attempted to burrow into his chest.

Naruto gently brought Saiyuri's face to his own, and he smiled at her.

"Yes we did," He pressed his forehead against hers, and locked eyes with her. "And it was _amazing..._" He kissed her, and she responded in kind. It was chaste, and Naruto soon broke it, and spoke again.

"As much I want to just stay in bed with you, it's time to get up. Come on, I'll help you get dressed."

Saiyuri groaned in slight annoyance. Eventually she complied, and crawled off of Naruto's chest. She placed her feet on the hardwood floor, and shivered lightly.

It seemed the air had yet to warm up. She felt goosebumps **(And two more rather private parts...) **form on her skin in response to the slight chill. Naruto was smirking for some reason.

"Saiyuri, your chest looks rather _stiff, _you okay?" He playfully said. Saiyuri blushed brightly.

"S-Shut up! It's cold!"

He chuckled for a few seconds, before getting out of bed, 'clothing' already formed on his body. He reached back, and pulled his hood up. He went around the room, retrieving Saiyuri's clothing that been tossed aside last night, and helped her back into her outfit, taking a few moments to tantalizingly rub his fingers across her flesh all the while. A few whimpers emanated from her mouth, but he did no more, much to her slight disappointment.

Once Saiyuri was fully dressed, she and Naruto headed to the door, before Saiyuri remembered something.

"U-Um...Naruto..." She quietly called out, her cheeks gaining a slight pink tint. Said hooded blonde turned to her, head tilted.

"Yeah?"

"Do y-you think that everyone else h-heard us?"

Naruto blinked owlishly, before throwing his head back and laughing. He continued to laugh almost maniacally, before his laughter slowed to a mere chuckle, and eventually stopped entirely. He looked at Saiyuri, a look of mirth on his face.

"No, you can relax. I had soundproofed the room before."

The blush on Saiyuri's cheeks died down, and she tilted her head in confusion.

"Wait what? When?"

Naruto chuckled quietly, and gently tapped her on the nose.

"That's my own little secret, Yuri-chan."

She pouted slightly at the answer, before nodding. She turned the knob, and exited the room, followed by Naruto.

But there was something a little off.

Namely, everyone else was still asleep.

"Naruto..." She whispered out. Naruto tensed for some reason. "What time do you usually wake up?"

The hooded blonde rubbed the back of his neck, and answered.

"Um...5:30 usually...Is that a problem?"

Saiyuri's hair began waving about somehow. A black aura formed around her, as a _fucking __**Hannya mask **_formed within the shadow surrounding her. She turned slowly, her eyes glowing a bright red, the Sharingan spinning.

"_**You mean to say, you woke me up THAT early..." **_Her voice was warped and distorted, and Naruto, more confused than scared, backed up against the wall.

"Y-Yeah...Why...?" The Hannya mask was suddenly in his face. And it's mouth began opening and closing, a few growls and clicks emanating from it.

"_**You know I like to sleep in..."**_

Naruto leaned his head as far away as he could from the mask directly in front of his face. He could detect no chakra of any kind, so whatever this was, It most certainly wasn't a genjutsu.

"Oh...I guess I kinda forgot that...Y-You can go back to bed, if you want..."

Saiyuri stared at him unblinkingly for a few moments, before the mask vanished, and the darkness retreated back into her. A bright smile was on her face, forcing her eyes closed.

"Thanks, Naru-kun!" She cheerily skipped back inside, and closed the door.

A few moments of silence passed until it was broken by Naruto's whisper.

"The fuck was that just now?"

_'I can answer that.'_

Naruto lightly jumped at Kushina's voice suddenly sounding out in his head. He cleared his throat, and began walking to the stairs.

'You can?'

_'Yep. Miko-chan used that exact same thing to stop me from waking her up too early. We shared an apartment when we were genin.'_

'Oh. So Mikoto taught it to Saiyuri then.'

_'Yup. But Yuri-chan seems to be a lot better at it than Miko-chan. Her mask actually made noises and moved around.'_

'Well then. I could have sworn I heard you scream something about that thing haunting your nightmares when she started it.'

_'…'_

'Kushina?'

_'...I'm going to curl up in the fetal position now.'_

'Um...You doing okay?'

_'It's alright Kushi-chan, the bad Hannya won't get you...It's alright Kushi-chan...'_

'Okay...I guess I'll just leave you to that then...'

_'...Nya won't get you...It's alrig...'_

He closed the link used to communicate with the souls residing within his own, and walked down the stairs. He'd been standing there stock-still for a few moments while talking to Kushina. He located the couch, and sprawled himself across it. He closed his eyes, and let himself go to his mindscape.

It wasn't as though he had anything better to do.

**(Mindscape)**

The rather surreal forests of his mindscape greeted him, as well as the birds. The sun was shining brightly in the sky, an eternal day. A small cottage was in the center of the clearing he was in. He walked forward to it's door, and opened it.

Anastasia was there, kneeling over Kushina who was in the fetal position mumbling nonsensically to herself.

The hooded woman turned at hearing the door open, and a bright smile split her face once she saw Naruto.

"Hey there!" She yelled out as she ran to him, and tackle-hugged him. Her slender arms wrapping around his chest.

Naruto gave a slight cry of surprise and was nearly knocked off his feet. Once regaining his balance, he looked down at Anastasia who was rubbing her cheek fondly against his chest. He brought a hand up and patted her hooded head.

"Hey, Ana. What happened with Kushina?"

Anastasia broke the hug, and turned to look at Kushina, a look of confusion on her delicate features.

"I don't know. She was like this since last night." She turned to him, a sultry smile on her face. "By the way, it was _very _entertaining..." She moaned out.

A flick to her nose drew a yelp from her. Naruto looked at her, eyes half-lidded in exasperation.

"Quit being a perv and help me get Kushina working again."

Anastasia nodded, lightly rubbing her now tender nose. She and Naruto crouched down over Kushina, and Naruto, experimentally, pinched Kushina's rear.

Kushina loosed a squeal, and quickly got to her feet, her cheeks stained a bright red. She lightly glared at Naruto, but the glare was made ineffectual with her burning cheeks.

"Naruto!" She whined out. "Don't surprise me like that!"

The hooded blonde shrugged.

"Sorry."

The Uzumaki woman pouted for a few moments, before she began lightly rubbing her stinging rear.

It felt oddly pleasurable yet painful. There was still more pain than pleasure though.

Naruto crossed his arms, and leaned against a nearby wall, and looked at both women.

"Any of you know where the Kyuubi is?"

Kushina raised her hand almost like a schoolgirl. Naruto pointed to her, and she began talking.

"The Fox is in the back room." A teasing expression was on her face. "We helped her make a human form. I think you'll like it." She giggled lightly at the end, and pointed to the door at the far end of the cottage.

Naruto nodded in thanks, and got off the wall, walking over to the door. He knocked once, and heard an unfamiliar feminine voice answer.

"Is that you Naruto? Please, come in!"

He turned the knob, and swung the door open. The sight within made his eyes boggle.

The Kyuubi had taken on a human form alright.

Red-orange hair pinned into a bun with ornate hair needles. A soft, heart-shaped face, with a tiny button nose. Her complexion was similar to his own, just a shade or two darker. She wore a very lavishly designed kimono, seeming to be made of silk. The kimono was black, with red trimmings, and slits on both sides exposed some of the supple flesh of her outer thigh. She was bare foot, and her nails were painted a bright red. Nine fluffy red-orange tails emerged from just above her rear, and two long rabbit-like ears were on top of her head. She didn't seem to possess ears where a human would have. Her eyes locked with his own, and Naruto was certain no scene in nature could ever compare.

Glowing red eyes, with a slit pupil, they shone with uncertainty, and a hint of embarrassment.

The Kyuubi was seated on a

"U-Um..." The vixen stuttered out, unable to form words. She swallowed slightly, and spoke once more.

"H-Hi Naruto..."

Said hooded blonde stared unblinkingly for a few moments, leading the vixen to blush slightly, before Naruto violently shook himself out of the trance.

"Wow...I wasn't quite expecting you to look so..." The vixen braced herself, closing her eyes, she was certain Naruto wouldn't like her human form. The next word quickly dissuaded her of such a notion. "Beautiful..." The Kyuubi's eyes snapped open, and a bright blush spread across her cheeks.

"R-Really? Kushina and Anastasia helped me make it, but the clothes are my own design..."

Naruto walked forward and sat next to her. She fidgeted in slight discomfort.

"Erm..."

Naruto noticed her unease.

"What's wrong?"

The Kyuubi continued to fret for a moment, before stilling, and answering.

"Sorry...I just thought that..."

"You think I hate you or something?"

The Kyuubi flinched slightly, and nodded.

Naruto sighed, and crossed his arms.

"Well I don't."

The Kyuubi looked at him, a hint of bewilderment in her crimson eyes.

"W-What?"

Naruto leaned back, until he was lying down on the bed, head resting on one of the soft down feather pillows.

"I don't hate you. I don't even dislike you."

The Kyuubi was incredibly confused. She was certain her host would at least feel some animosity towards her.

She had killed his mother in front of his very eyes. Willingly too.

"Why? You have every right to despise me. So why don't you?" The Kyuubi asked, a touch of fear in her voice.

What if Naruto was lying to her?

The hooded blonde seemed to be able to read her mind, as he closed his eyes and sighed again.

"Firstly, I'm not lying to you." He opened his eyes, and made eye contact with her. "What you did...all those years ago? It's over and done with. I can't change the past." He smiled then, breaking eye contact, and closed his eyes. "Besides, Kushina's here now, isn't she? It's not as though you destroyed her. Just...freed her from her mortal body." His smile widened. "Now, she's in a body like my own. No need for food, water, air. She's transcended mortality now, just like me. A being beyond the concept of death."

His eyes opened once more, blue-silver eyes glowing, and turned to her, smile still on his face.

"I can't thank you enough for that."

The Kyuubi blinked owlishly.

He was thanking her for killing his mother?

What?

"Um...you're welcome...I guess?"

Naruto's smile faded, and he turned to look at The Kyuubi.

"I know what you're thinking. Why is he thanking me?" He sat up, eyes fixed on her own. "I know your story. You were sealed away two times before, the second time in my mother. The first person you were sealed in was Mito Uzumaki, wife of Hashirama Senju."

The Kyuubi closed her own eyes. Those years with Mito were horrible. All alone, in the darkest recesses of that woman's mind. She hadn't even considered her a sentient thing. Just a being of hate and destruction.

Ironically, Mito's opinion of her proved true, but only because she began to truly hate humanity because of Mito's actions. Kushina was slightly better, granted despite having what basically amounted to over-sized toothpicks that kept her pinned to a ball of stone, Kushina at least _talked _to her.

Naruto continued, his voice with a hint of sympathy in it.

"You just wanted freedom. Why would I hate you for that?" He gently placed a hand on her silk-clad shoulder. "I promise you, I'll give the freedom you want. Just give me time. The seal was made with the Shinigami's assistance. The seal is said to have a key, in possession of the Summon Toads." He took his hand off her shoulder and crossed his arms again.

The Kyuubi lightly growled the mention of those Summons. Those damn Toads were annoying. She remembered how Gamabunta had helped to weaken her so she could be sealed. She may not have been in control thanks to that Masked Man, but she could see what she was doing. A prisoner within her own body.

She was torn from her thoughts when Naruto began snapping his fingers in front of her face. She turned her head to look at him, and miffed look on his face.

"Could you please pay attention when I'm talking to you?"

The Kyuubi rubbed at the back of her neck, a habit she had adopted from Naruto, and smiled nervously.

"Oh...sorry. I was thinking about the Toads."

A knowing look appeared on Naruto's face.

"Something about how annoying they are?"

She nodded, her ears swaying with the motion.

A slight smirk appeared on Naruto's face.

"Well, there's another thing we have in common."

The Kyuubi lightly giggled, and nodded again.

A questioning look appeared on Naruto's face, and he turned to look at The Kyuubi.

"Hey, I was wondering..." The Kyuubi turned to Naruto, head tilted. "Do you have a name?"

The Kyuubi nodded once more, and spoke.

"Yes. The Rikudou Sennin called me Kurama."

A look of distaste appeared on Naruto's features.

"That sounds a bit too masculine." The Kyuubi slowly nodded. "Do you want a new name?"

The Kyuubi took a few moments to respond, before she smiled.

"Yes!" She chirped out.

A smile made itself known on Naruto's face.

"Okay. How about Kyara?" **(Another Shout-out to Deimos99340 for the name!)**

She smiled brightly, and hugged Naruto in joy.

"I love it!" She cried out in happiness.

She had always felt that 'Kurama' wasn't right for her. That feeling only grew more when her feeling about her 'father' deteriorated with how the majority of humanity viewed her.

Hopefully, with this new name, she'd be able to finally put all that pain in the past, where it belonged.

Naruto gently patted the newly-named Kyara on the back a few times, before speaking once more.

"It's good to see you so happy. Now..." He once more lay down on the bed, and after putting his hooded head back on the down pillow, he closed his eyes. "I'm feeling a little sleepy. I don't mind if you stay in the bed, just try not to wake me up." And with that, he relaxed.

Kyara looked down at the wonderful person who was her newest host, and smiled. She began caressing the scar-like whiskers on his cheeks, and Naruto responded with a small amount of fidgeting, before he grew used to the sensation, and became still once more. She giggled, and after finagling with the hood, managed to expose his bright blond hair. She began trailing her fingers through the strands that seemed to have cast from gold, and marveled at how soft the locks of hair were. After a few moments, she lay down on the bed as well, and after a few moments of trepidation, rested her head on Naruto's chest. And closed her eyes. And soon enough she fell asleep as well.

The last thought that was made before Kyara entered the land of dreams, was of wonderment of how her life would change from now on.

Hopefully, it was for the better...

* * *

**ALRIGHTY THEN! I hope my Lemon writing skills have improved! And I hope you enjoyed! Make sure to review!**


	16. Chapter 16

_Chapter 16_

_Tsunami's torment, and a mysterious observer..._

"_Despotism despises nothing so much as righteousness in it's victims..." -Gregory David Roberts_

* * *

"Hey, Naruto. It's time for us to train. Get up." Kakashi's voice roused Naruto from his sleep. The hooded blonde rubbed his eyes for a moment, before putting his feet on the floor, and getting off the couch. He looked at Kakashi.

The silver-haired jonin had, as usual, a bored expression on what could be seen on his face. The Icha-Icha book, not too difficult to see given it's bright orange cover, was held in his left hand, which hung loosely at his hip.

"What are we going to train in now? The leaf exercise?" Naruto asked. Kakashi was knocked out his laziness with a few tendrils of Naruto's choice, and he had taught Sakura how to walk up vertical surfaces using chakra, as well as how to stand on water using chakra as well. Both Naruto and Saiyuri could already accomplish this, but Naruto preferred to either leap upwards to his destination, or, if the obstacle was high enough, run up it.

He had laughed so very hard at how Kakashi's eye threatened to leap out of his skull at seeing Naruto running up the sheer vertical stone of the Hokage Monument. And even more so when Kakashi literally fainted upon witnessing Naruto jump off the edge of the Monument, and landing upon the ground without so much as a scratch.

His landing site wasn't so fortunate.

Naruto was torn out of his thoughts when Kakashi responded to his question.

"Something like that. Follow me. Sakura and Saiyuri are already outside. If you're hungry, Tsunami left some breakfast for you on the table." With that said, Kakashi stuffed his face into the Icha-Icha book, and walked out of the house, perversely giggling all the while. Naruto was sorely tempted to tear Kakashi's head from his shoulders with a few tendrils, but subdued his craving for blood momentarily.

He'd gone on a few hours without killing something. That would have to be remedied.

Naruto walked over to the table, and looked at the single plate their, the food on it still steaming. It was a relatively simple meal. Some steak and rice. Not much of it, but enough to serve as an adequate breakfast.

Too bad he didn't actually need to eat food.

Tsunami was at the sink, washing some plates there. The faucet squeaked and squealed every so often. It was clear the plumbing was at best, sub-par. She didn't seem to really possess any detergent, only a simple rag that may have once been white, the original color having been vanquished by the innumerable stains of varying size and color. She hummed a little tune, and placed the clean, well _cleaner _plates off to the side. The woman seemed to notice she was being stared at, and turned to see Naruto there, motionless, and as quiet as a grave.

Tsunami repressed a slight shiver at the sight of Naruto. She simply couldn't explain it, but Naruto just felt..._**off.**_ Like he was some alien creature trying to look human, and not quite getting it right. He didn't seem to ever breathe, or make any noises besides from when he talked. He almost glided around, his footsteps completely nonexistent. And that wasn't even bringing up just how _pale _the young man. His skin looked almost gray! Like he was a fresh corpse! And those eyes...those ghastly blue-silver eyes... They seemed to _**glow. **_

Tsunami quickly averted her sight, and tried her best to calm down. She wouldn't judge him from appearance alone. It simply wasn't fair. And besides, he was part of the ninja team protecting her father, so he had to at least have some semblance of morality.

Right?

She was ripped from her thoughts when Naruto spoke, his cool, baritone, and preternaturally flat tone, sending chills up and down Tsunami's spine.

"You made breakfast for me?"

Tsunami turned to look at Naruto, trying her very best to remain amicable. It wouldn't do to let the admittedly creepy ninja know of her growing fear now, was it?

"U-Um..." She inwardly cursed as her voice failed her at that critical moment. Naruto's eyes began to bore deeply into her soul, and she was unable to suppress a shudder.

He stalked forward, every step entirely silent. It was as though he was an ethereal spirit, one that demanded fear and terror simply with it's appearance. He continued until he was right behind her, dwarfing her completely and even casting a shadow on her. Tsunami was unable to stop herself from shivering once more, and she recoiled when Naruto spoke again.

"You're afraid of me." His tone held no surprise, or sadness, or any _life._ It seemed for all the world he was an automaton, ignorant of the concept of fear. She swallowed and gathered what courage she had left.

"W-What? No I-I'm not..." She cursed herself again for stuttering in the presence of this ghoulish ninja. He leaned in close, and Tsunami couldn't quite keep the quiet gasp of fear in her throat. A low _growl _of all things ringed out into her ear. It sounded positively _**demonic. **_Tsunami began to weakly hyperventilate, terror coursing through her body. When the hooded ninja spoke once more, his voice was lower than normal, and right next to her left ear.

"You're smart. Not too many people know to be afraid of me." She heard what sounded like clicking behind her, before an inhuman appendage danced in front of her, metallic Claws glinting. The Claws meandered about for a few moments before the index Claw was suddenly at her throat. A scream was about to erupt from her, but it was stifled by a hand that went across her mouth. The skin was as cold as a corpse's. She struggled in her tormenter's grip for a few moments, before she heard him lightly shush her.

"I believe I said you were smart. Don't prove me wrong. Stop resisting, or I'll draw this Claw..."He punctuated the words by forcing said Claw closer to her neck, letting a few thin streams of blood trail down her throat. The cut forcing a stifled, pained gasp. "Across your throat. I'll cut deep enough to get to your trachea, and you won't be able to cry out for help. If you survive, you'd be rendered forever mute. So stop fidgeting and let me _**talk.**_" He hissed out the last word, his voice becoming warped, and eldritch.

She complied, stilling herself. A few tears began to flow from her eyes, and they dripped off Naruto's hand. She could distinctly hear her heart racing in her chest, and it seemed Naruto did as well.

"You seem rather tense, Tsunami. Your heart is beating at roughly 120 beats per minute, sending 120 milliliters of blood throughout your body in that same span of time. Now..." He removed the Claw from her throat, and grabbed Tsunami by the head, the metallic digits impossible curving around her skull. She felt herself gasp in terror once more. And tears were openly streaming from her eyes. "I am severely tempted to slice into your carotid artery, and let all that blood gush out across the room." Tsunami loosed a terrified scream, the noise muffled from the hand across her mouth. The rush of adrenaline, and the fight-or-flight response demanded she do something, so as quickly as she could, she reached out for the knife rack, grabbed the longest one, and stuck it into the side of Naruto's skull.

She felt the hand gripping her head loosen and the one across her mouth let go. She immediately turned around, doing her very best to try and lean across the sink as far away from Naruto. The Clawed ninja had stumbled back, and was swaying from side to side. Hopefully, he was dead, and his body simply hadn't realized it yet.

Tsunami's hopes were dashed when Naruto regained his balance, and looked at her approvingly. He completely ignored the knife jutting out of his head.

"So you are capable of killing in an emergency. Good. I'll leave now." His Clawed arms were suddenly swarmed by tendrils, and once they receded, two normal human arms took their place. He turned and was about to leave, but seemed to remember he had a knife embedded in him. He raised his left hand, gripped the handle, and in a surreal and completely grotesque sight, pulled the knife out. There wasn't any blood, or even fragments of bone. He walked back, to her, knife still in hand. Tsunami backed into the nearest corner, and looked at Naruto, eyes wide in panic. He locked his eyes with her own, and after staring unblinkingly for a few harrowing seconds, raised the hand with the knife.

Tsunami closed her eyes, and shielded her face with her hand. A metallic thunk sounded out next to her, and after a few moments, she removed her hand, and opened her eyes. Naruto was gone. The knife stuck into the wooden counter beside her.

The bridge builder's daughter continued to hyperventilate for a few more moments, before her breathing calmed, her heart returning to it's normal rhythm. She slid down the counter, sitting down on the kitchen floor, and hugged her knees to her chest.

She would remain that way for the next 10 minutes, before she returned to her chores, desperate to put the dreadful scene out of her mind.

It would haunt her for the rest of her days.

**(A five minute walk away from Tazuna's house)**

Team 7 were all present, and all but two of them were seated. Namely Kakashi, and Naruto.

The exercise Saiyuri and Sakura would accomplish was designed to dramatically increase chakra control, as well increase their reserves. It consisted of simply attaching several pebbles to your body using chakra, increasing the number of pebbles until they covered your entire body.

The leaf exercise, while all well and good, wasn't suitable for long term improvement. Leaves didn't really weigh all that much. Pebbles however were several times heavier, and denser. Using pebbles instead of leaves, would put more strain on the chakra coils, as well as helping a genin familiarize themselves with actively using chakra. Chakra control was a very critical portion of most elite ninjas combat regimen. A good chakra control meant less chakra was needed for jutsus, meaning you could utilize more jutsus. And the exercise also helped to increase chakra reserves, meaning a ninja would have a larger pool of chakra to draw from for jutsu.

This double-pronged exercise was devised by Naruto, and Kakashi agreed with it fully. He even recommended the Hokage be informed of this new exercise. It would certainly be a vast improvement over the leaf exercise. Naruto waved off Kakashi's praise, and stated he didn't need any acknowledgment from anyone other than Saiyuri. That was a big, fat, lie, but Kakashi didn't know that. Naruto imagined Kakashi wouldn't be too pleased to know that Naruto had resurrected his sensei's wife, (**who was almost like a mother figure to the young Kakashi****)** and not be told of such an event.

Saiyuri had excelled at the exercise, and had managed to fully coat her body with pebbles within just fifteen minutes of beginning.

Sakura meanwhile...

"**RAAAAAAAAAAAAGGGGGGGGGGHHHH!"**

She wasn't doing so well.

"**I HATE THIS EXERCISE! CAN'T WE JUST GO BACK TO TREE WALKING?!"**

At all.

"**I'D EVEN PREFER FUCKING WATER WALKING TO THIS PEBBLE BULLSHIT!"**

If anything it made for an amusing sight.

Sakura was currently bright red with rage, and steam was literally pouring out her ears. Likely hinting at a water chakra nature. She stalked around, punching any pebble in sight. The pebbles weren't harmed in the least. Sakura's knuckles meanwhile had a large amount of skin scraped off, and blood was dripping from the abrasive wounds.

"Um...Sakura...Maybe you should just calm down..." Kakashi tried his best to defuse his most temperamental student. Her fury was comparable to Tsunade Senju's own. Maybe she'd make a good apprentice under her.

"**HELL NO KAKA-SENSEI! THESE DAMN PEBBLES ARE LAUGHING AT ME! I SWEAR TO KAMI, I'M GOING TO GRIND THEM INTO DUST! EVEN IF I HAVE TO DO IT WITH MY FUCKING TEETH!"**

Perhaps not.

Kakashi raised his hands in surrender as Sakura's glowing red eyes pinioned him. The pink-haired genin growled bestially for a few moments, before leaping at another pebble with a war cry.

Naruto and Saiyuri were off to the side, the former incredibly amused at the sight, and the latter outright laughing. The female Uchiha was quite literally, rolling around on the ground, howling in hilarity. Her own cheeks were red, more from the force of her laughter than any embarrassment she felt, and mirthful tears streamed from her eyes, said ocular organs possessing the Sharingan within.

She wanted to burn this hilarious sight into her memory.

Naruto kept his mouth covered with one hand, and a few snickers would occasionally escape. His eyes were narrowed in amusement.

He ducked his head as a pebble came flying at him, not on purpose mind you. Sakura had given up on attacking the pebbles directly and was simply punching the ground just next to them. Surprisingly, the little rocks were sent flying off at somewhat high speeds. Naruto leaned his head to the side slightly to dodge another pebble, and spoke.

"Sakura, maybe you should just calm down." Said pink-haired genin whirled to Naruto, red eyes flaming. "Look at your hands." Sakura did so, and uttered a cry of horror and fear at the state of her fingers.

The skin was nearly all gone, exposing red muscle fiber and cartilage. Some bone was even visible. It seemed her rage had made her insensitive to pain.

Not as good an advantage as it would seem. Pain was a good way to determine when the body was damaged. Without that sensation, you wouldn't learn that touching a recently used stove top was a good way to get crispy human flesh.

'Mmm...crunchy...' Naruto thought to himself, his eyes unfocused and off to the side. A slight look of hunger on his face. Kakashi noticed this, and started to slowly back away,

It wasn't too out there to assume Naruto was a cannibal. If he even considered himself human, that is. Or actually was human.

Kakashi had thought of another theory as to Naruto's eldritch abilities. He simply wasn't really human. He was still his sensei's son likely, but perhaps his soul was within a non-human body of some sort.

Kakashi quickly shook that ridiculous idea out of his head.

That sounded like some really bad attempt at writing a horror story of some description.

More than likely, Naruto was thinking of ramen. Maybe.

He claimed to like the noodle dish. But the only ramen serving restaurant in Konoha, Ichiraku's, hadn't been visited by Naruto for some time now. He sent money to them however. Naruto's rather odd charity had burgeoned the Ichiraku's from a simple stand, to an immense high-class restaurant, which was the talk of culinary ninja around the world.

Hopefully without any human body parts, like say, intestines, or blood vessels, making up the noodles.

Probably not.

Right?

**(Fifteen minutes later)**

Sakura had received some treatment from Kakashi, who utilized a healing technique, called the Shosen Jutsu. Within less than a few minutes, the worn away skin had regrown, and the muscles within were healed as well. Kakashi scolded Sakura, warning her that suffering another injury like that may actually completely derail her ninja career.

Once Sakura was healed, Kakashi had declared training to be over, and was currently talking about Zabuza.

"Zabuza Momochi is still alive."

Needless to say, Sakura wasn't too pleased to hear that.

"**WHAAAAAAAAAAT?!"**

Sakura was immediately silenced by Naruto's frigid glare, and the pink-haired genin had actually been floored by the sheer amount of Killing Intent sent to her, it was enough to paralyze her completely, and she summarily fell limp to the floor.

"_**Scream like that again, and I'll tear out your throat." **_He growled out, his warping and twisting in impossible to describe ways. The closest a normal human could make out was the sounds of numerous other voices all speaking in near perfect unison, some speaking earlier, and others later. A few tendrils emerged from Naruto's shoulders, and began rippling and waving around.

All in all, it made for a horrid sound.

Sakura couldn't nod. But Naruto seemed to know her answer anyway, and the tendrils receded into his body. He spoke, his voice having returned to it's normal, smooth, baritone.

"Nice to see we have an understanding. Now Kakashi-sensei...you can continue."

Kakashi eye-smiled, hiding the slight terror he felt upon seeing more of those damnable tendrils.

"Thank you Naruto-kun!" He reached out in an attempt to ruffle Naruto's head, only to have Naruto's left eye pop out, attached to a motherfucking _tendril_, and the now mobile eye went to Kakashi's face, the iris glowing blood red.

"Don't call me that. And don't try and touch me either." The eye glowed and dimmed in response to the stresses Naruto placed on each syllable, and Kakashi dumbly nodded. The tendril that Naruto's eye was affixed to retract into the socket, and the eye was in it's normal position again. Naruto looked to Kakashi, and the silver-haired jonin recoiled in response, hurriedly stuttering out the next few words.

"U-UM...ZABUZA WILL LIKELY RETURN TO COMBAT IN TWO WEEKS OR SO!" The Copy-Ninja quickly sprang to his feet, and sprinted as fast as he could away from Naruto. He didn't really have a specific destination in mind, except for perhaps, 'as far away from the stuff of his nightmares as humanly possible'.

'TENDRILS WITH EYES. TENDRILS WITH GODDAMN EYES. I HATE YOU SO MUCH NARUTO!' Kakashi inwardly shouted to himself.

Naruto must relish in giving him nightmares.

He was certainly good at it.

**(Tazuna's house)**

Once Kakashi had fled screaming into the night, Team 7 had returned to Tazuna's house, both female genin noting how tense Tsunami seemed to be around Naruto. They decided to ignore her odd response, Sakura chalking it up to the fact that Naruto was just naturally creepy. And Saiyuri not really caring in the slightest.

Both girls headed up to their rooms, while Naruto stayed behind in the kitchen, taking a seat at the table. Once both young women had entered their rooms, and closed the doors, Naruto shifted his arms into the Claws once more, and he began observing them. Much to Tsunami's chagrin, given how she promptly tried to run up the stairs, only to be blocked by a large tentacle. Tsunami slowly backed away, and looked at Naruto. The tentacle had erupted from his back. Tsunami hissed at him, frustration and terror in her voice.

"Why are you doing this!? What have I done to you to justify this?!"

Naruto responded, never looking away from his Claws.

"I'm testing you I suppose."

Tsunami became enraged at the cryptic words. Her pretty face becoming a rictus of furor.

"Testing me for what!?"

The hooded blonde stopped looking at his Claws, and shifted them back into normal human hands. He locked eyes with Tsunami, transfixing the unfortunate civilian.

"I guess...your survival instinct."

"S-Survival instinct?" Tsunami breathed out. Her face, once twisted with rage, and horror, relaxed.

This was why that hooded monster threatened to kill her? Just so he could check how she would respond in a life or death situation?

"And I'll be honest. You passed with flying colors."

A slight smirk tugged at his lips, and he got up, and walked in close to her. This time however, Tsunami felt no fear. Instead she felt...glad? Glad that this monster wasn't trying to kill her, just ensuring she could defend herself and her family? Was that it?

"W-Why...?" She was silenced when Naruto placed an ice cold finger on her lips. He spoke once more, a hint of approval in his voice.

"I see you are fierce when you're cornered, and willing to go against impossible odds to protect your son." Tsunami's eyes widened when she heard that last word. Inari had never revealed himself to the ninja, so how did he know? She was ripped from her thoughts when Naruto spoke again.

"I'll leave you alone now. I was just seeing whether you were a good mother." With that said, he withdrew his finger, and walked away, climbing up the stairs, and entering one of the rooms above. The door closing with an audible click.

Tsunami felt her legs grow weak, and she leaned against the counter to support herself.

She wasn't certain why, but she felt a degree of...contentment at his words. As though a deity had complimented her.

This thought would remain within her head when she went up the stairs to her own room, and she would dream of a dark figure, glowing red eyes, staring at her. The entity observed her for an uncountable amount of time, before dissipating.

She'd never understand the meaning of this dream.

**(Across the river...)**

A young girl, roughly 15 years old, stared at Tazuna's house.

She was an almost ethereal looking sight. A completely white dress flowed in the wind, only reaching to her knees, the dress kept close to her chest with a simple black string. She was barefoot, the grass sticking up from between her toes. She was very pale, almost like a corpse. Dark green hair flowed down to just below her waist, with two oddly cat ear shaped tufts of hair which that formed her bangs. Her eyes were of the same color as her hair, and they shone with affection.

"Naruto-nii-sama..."

* * *

**WHO IS THAT GIRL? GEE I WONDER. Anyway! Naruto tests Tsunami to see if she would sacrifice herself for her son like Kushina had. A new chakra exercise is made. (Hopefully it's original...) And Saya from the titular 'Song of Saya' visual novel has appeared! WHAAAAAAT? Find out why she's here next chapter!**


	17. Chapter 17

_Chapter 17_

_Inari's mistake, and an Ice girl's dilemma_

"_Cruelty, like every other vice, requires no motive outside of itself. It only requires opportunity. -George Eliot_

* * *

The next morning wasn't too unique. Tsunami as usual, made a simple breakfast for her family, as well as the ninja who her father had hired. Inari had finally revealed himself to the ninja, and only Sakura and Saiyuri were surprised at his presence. Naruto wasn't surprised in the least.

Breakfast wasn't changed too much by Inari's presence, until he started talking at least.

"Why are you all trying so hard?" The young boy whispered out, his head tilted down in such a manner, that his bucket hat cast a shadow over his eyes.

Team 7 all stopped eating their breakfast, Sakura with her own fork halfway to her mouth. Naruto was paying close attention.

"What do you mean?" Kakashi inquired, looking up from his Icha-Icha book. With luck, Inari wouldn't say something that made Naruto angry.

"Why are you trying to stop Gato? It's impossible." The boy droned out. He had raised his head, and a look of slight anger was on his face. "You can't kill him! No one can!"

Naruto tilted his head, a look of curiosity on his whiskered face.

"Oh? What makes you so certain?"

Inari's face twisted in grief and fury.

"HE TOOK MY FATHER!" He cried out. "TOU-SAN TRIED TO FIGHT GATO! AND IT GOT HIM KILLED!" Inari began sobbing in a frenzied mixture of mourning and hatred for his father. "HE LEFT ME AND KAA-SAN ALL ALONE!" He turned to Naruto, who looked at Inari with an inquisitive expression. Inari's anger reached a boiling point, and he leapt up from his seat, pointing a tiny finger at Naruto, blinded by his furor, he perceived Naruto's expression for one of pity.

"DON'T YOU LOOK AT ME THAT WAY!" Inari shrieked. "YOU WON'T EVER UNDERSTAND THE PAIN I'VE FELT. NO ONE CAN! NO ONE HAS EVER SUFFERED LIKE I HAVE!"

And with that last sentence, Kakashi bolted to his feet, Sharingan exposed, ready to restrain Naruto, who would more than likely attempt to kill the young boy if only because he was annoying to Naruto.

Saiyuri glared hatefully at Inari. Who was this little shit kidding? Did he honestly think he was the only person in the world who suffered?

And Sakura promptly fled the kitchen. Fearing Naruto's soon to be unleashed wrath.

Or perhaps not.

Naruto began to snicker at Inari's words. The snickering soon became chuckling, and then, outright laughter. He threw his head back, hood remaining affixed to his head, as he laughed and laughed and laughed. Naruto began banging the table in his hilarity, and soon enough fell off the chair onto the floor. He continued laughing for a few more moments, and he eventually quieted down until he was completely silent.

Naruto mechanically rose to his feet, and stared down at Inari. The boy was both further enraged and incredibly confused at the hooded blonde's reaction. However, once Naruto's eyes locked with his own, Inari was paralyzed. He simply was unable to move, and the world around began to grow silent, until he could hear his own racing heart, and the blood rushing through his arteries.

When Naruto spoke, his voice was calm, composed.

"Heh...You made me actually laugh." Naruto began walking around the table to Inari, a low guttural chuckle emitting from his lips. He continued until he was right in front of Inari, and he crouched down to his level.

Now that Naruto was so close to him, Inari could clearly see the finer details of his figure. The most glaring sights, being some of the smallest. Naruto's skin lacked any pores or hair follicles. There were no blemishes on his skin at all, as though it was a blank canvas. His irises glowed slightly, and his pupil was perfectly still, never changing in response to the intensity or dimness of light. He didn't appear to breath, as he remained perfectly still, his chest never expanding or contracting as would a normal human's.

Then Naruto spoke once more, and Inari was certain he'd never again hear such a terrifying sound.

"_I'm currently debating whether or not to rip your head from your shoulders, and play catch with your mother, using your severed head as the ball." _He hissed out, the words audible only to Naruto, and Inari himself. _"You know nothing of true pain, little one. But I am perfectly willing to teach you." _His eyes began to glow an ominous blood red, the crimson spreading across the entirety of his eyes until they were each a solid red orb, glowing blindingly.

"_Look into my eyes, Inari." _Inari felt his body move against his will, and he was forced to make eye contact with Naruto. He felt a dark and cold presence intrude his very mind.

"_**And know my own pain."**_

And at that, Inari's world became dark.

Until images, feelings, and sounds began to assault him.

"**Hey! Where have you been man?" **

"**Honey! I'm home!"**

"**Who's a good doggie? Who's a good boy?"**

"**Congratulations! It's a baby girl!"**

What could only be the happiest memories of other people were shown. A socialite with friends. A loving husband. A dedicated animal rescuer. And a woman becoming a mother for the first time.

Inari was confused. These sights and sounds were all of good times. What did Naruto mean by pain?

He was answered, when the images turned scarlet.

"**Oh Kami! Please don't kill me!**

"**No! Hamano! Please don't leave me! Don't die!"**

"**Y-You killed all the animals...You fucking ate all of them!"**

"**Musume! No! Leave her alone you monster!"**

Death.

Destruction.

Loss.

Grief.

All of these horrible feelings struck Inari with all the force of a hurricane. His own pain was absolutely nothing in comparison to _this. _It was more than those four. There were hundreds upon hundreds of nightmarish scenes that made up the sky. Screams and pleas for mercy made the wind. There was no land, just a sea of blood.

Was this Hell?

Naruto's voice suddenly resounded out all around him. He sounded tired. As though all his strength was sapped from him.

"_This is the truth of what I am. A being of destruction. Of rage. Of death. I represent the end of all things. Those I consume, those who I destroy in their entirety, every memory they possess becomes mine. I have been born, and I have died countless times. I am a father, a mother, a son, a daughter. A farmer, a businessman, a killer, a leader. Their memories are my own. Their deaths, mine. This will never cease. I will never die. I am cursed with this __for all eternity__. The __voices__ of the dead __never stop screaming in my head.__ I see myself. I see myself die. I see myself kill. As I inflict pain, I receive it ten-fold. And it will never end."_

His voice gained a degree of anger.

"_And you dare presume your pain is more than my own. I was born human. Once I could have died. Now I am something less and more."_

Inari felt innumerable blades come against him. The pointed tips pressing into his flesh.

"_I should just destroy you now. Add your memories and your pain to my own. But I won't."_

As quick as they came, the blades vanished.

"_I'll leave you with this knowledge. Of what I am. Of what I've experienced. And you'll never cherish your own mortal life more."_

Inari felt himself begin to float upwards, before Naruto spoke once more.

"_**Now, begone!"**_

And with an intense flash of light, Inari was back in the real world. Away from that world that seemed pain incarnate.

Naruto had stood, and was walking away from him. He breezed past a stock-still Kakashi, and was about to leave the house entirely, when Saiyuri grabbed him by the shoulders.

"Naruto! What happened?! Are you okay!?" Saiyuri frantically asked. When Naruto didn't respond, her fear only grew. "Please Naruto! Just answer me!"

Naruto's hooded head drooped. And he spoke, his voice barely audible.

"I just need to be alone for a moment Saiyuri. I promise you, I'm just fine."

Saiyuri growled in frustration, and tears began to form at the corners of her eyes.

"No your not! Don't lie to me! Please, just tell me what's wrong!"

Naruto remained silent for a few moments, before jerking Saiyuri's arms off him. Stunned, the female Uchiha could only watch as Naruto walked a few feet away, before leaping away.

A few unfocused gasps would occasionally emerge from Saiyuri's lips. The tears at the corners of her eyes began to flow down her cheeks.

"Naruto..."

**(A nearby forest)**

A small forest was abuzz with life and sounds. Birds chirped. Insects buzzed around. A nearby lake had a few fish swimming around near the surface of the water. All was at peace.

That peace was broken when Naruto impacted the ground with enough force to create a crater 30 feet in diameter. The trees around were blasted by the air pressure created by the powerful impact, and bent to such a degree that some trees snapped. The falling portions of trunk creating loud thuds that echoed throughout the clearing. The remaining trees swung back and forth, before growing still once more.

The birds all flew away. The insects were silent. The fish retreated to deeper waters.

Naruto stood from his crouch.

_'Naruto! Please tell me your alright! What happened just then?! Answer me dammit!'_

_**'Naruto? Are you okay!? Just nod once if you are! Naruto?!'**_

**'Naruto? Are you alright? Do you need help? Naruto? Naruto!'**

The three voices within his head wouldn't be quiet. He couldn't identify them. They were just three of many.

Every single person he consumed was screaming now. The cacophony was too much for Naruto.

He covered his ears, trying desperately to silence the noise. Yet no matter how hard he tried, the voices only seemed to grow louder.

**Killer!**

Naruto gripped his head as a voice suddenly increased in volume.

**Monster!**

He fell to his knees, forehead kissing the ground, he began to groan in pain.

**You should never have been born!**

His Claws, Blade, Whipfist, and Musclemass wildly shifted in and out of existence. Tendrils flew out from his back, too many to be counted. They flailed about in his agony, felling any nearby trees. Some burrowed into the ground, forcing solid spikes of biomass to erupt out of the ground in a random pattern. Others still pounded the dirt, lashing at anything in range.

**Suffer eternally!**

Naruto simply couldn't bear the pain anymore. He began to outright scream in anguish. The sheer volume of the scream widened the crater he was in. Trees were uprooted, or stripped of their leaves. The scream soon became a roar, as his Armor reflexively formed in his agonized state. His fanged maw was wide open, and a bellow of pure _suffering _sounded out, being able to be heard tens of miles away.

**You abomination!**

The tendrils continued to multiply, ravaging the landscape. Deep troughs were dug out of soil. Random tunnels, with no rhyme or reason were created. Sometimes, the very ground collapsed in on itself, forming deep sinkholes.

Eventually everything grew still again. The tendrils receded into Naruto's Armored back. His arms stopped changing form. He collapsed to the ground, even his Armor shrunk back.

**You'll never get any peace.**

At that, Naruto's world grew dark.

All around him.

Nothingness.

He was all alone.

He always would be.

_**Forever.**_

**(A half-hour later...)**

Haku hummed a merry tune, as she crouched down, and picked the flower she needed. Zabuza-sama may have been injured, but she knew enough about herbs to concoct a healing salve that would mend his wounds. It might take two weeks, but Haku was perfectly alright with that. So long as she could be of use to Zabuza-sama, she was happy. She placed the flower in a basket that hung from her left arm, and continued.

Admittedly, she was a little cautious about exiting Zabuza-sama's hideout. What sounded like a _roar _had broken the silence of the day. Zabuza-sama had warned her that whatever had made that sound, was big enough to make a roar that could be heard miles away. Zabuza-sama had even recommended she stay inside. Not because he cared for her. She was only a tool. It would simply be annoying to have to find and train a new tool.

Haku agreed with him. Ever since Zabuza-sama had saved her life, she devoted herself entirely to him. She was his tool now. And if she ever degraded or weakened, Zabuza-sama would simply toss her away. So she made certain to remain diligent. Never showing weakness. She simply couldn't afford to. If Zabuza-sama rejected her, she would have no purpose.

She rounded an oddly leafless tree, and froze at the sight that greeted her.

It was as though a meteor had struck here. There was an immense crater in the very center, with deep troughs all around. There were some sinkholes, and very strange tunnels that dotted the destroyed portion of the forest. All the trees around had either fallen, or lost the entirety of their branches, and thus their leaves.

Haku slowly walked forward, forming a few ice senbon in her free hand.

Was this where the supposed creature that made that deafening roar made itself known?

Haku strained to see into the center of the crater. She was certain she could make out a human figure there. With more than a hint of trepidation, she walked forward, until she could see the figure clearly.

And once she did, she gripped her ice senbon as tight as she could.

It was the hooded blonde Konoha ninja from before. The one that put her Zabuza-sama through such pain. As quietly as she could, she stalked forward, until she was within the crater, and kneeling next to the blonde ninja.

She reached out with her hand, ready to grab, and snap his neck. It would be so easy. He was unconscious. Unaware. Her hand creeped closer and closer, until...

She gently shook him by the shoulder.

Shame flooded her. She could never bring herself to kill, no matter how hard she tried. It was something that made Zabuza-sama incredibly angry. He had ranted and raved about how she was just a tool, how she was meant to kill as a shinobi.

Zabuza-sama had taught her that all shinobi were tools of their village. To be wielded in times of war. To be shown off to increase status. To be exchanged if one proved weak, or became useless.

And yet...She felt that this blonde ninja wouldn't agree with that. He wasn't a tool.

So what was he then?

The blonde ninja began to stir.

Haku promptly stepped back, she had a feeling it would be a wise choice.

It proved to be correct, as the hooded blonde leapt to his feet with a snarl, Claws forming. He looked around, growling all the while. Until he finally noticed her.

His eyes were entirely black. No irises, no pupils, just an infinite darkness. And the whisker-like marks on his cheeks were glowing a blood red. They resembled fresh scars. Red light would drip down from the glowing scars, dissipating once it hit the ground.

Haku felt herself gasp in fear, and she stumbled backwards, spilling the flowers within her basket. The hooded blonde stalked forward, Claws at the ready to slice her into oblivion. He reared back his right Claw, and Haku closed her eyes in response.

She knew she stood no chance against the hooded blonde. And so, she awaited her destruction.

* * *

**MY FIRST CLIIIIIIIIFFFFFFFFFHAAAAAAANNNNNNGGGGGGGERRRRRRRRRRRRRR (Laughs maniacally) Anyway! A lot shorter than usual, I know! I was kinda pressed for time unfortunately! **

**Inari is beset upon by Naruto! Naruto goes crazy! Haku is about to die! Yay! Make sure to review!**


	18. Chapter 18

_Chapter 18_

_Maelstrom calmed_

"_I became insane, with long periods of horrible sanity..." -Edgar Allan Poe_

* * *

Haku braced herself, waiting for the blow that would no doubt end her life. Memories began to overwhelm her. Of her mother, how she reacted to seeing Haku's Kekkai Genkai, and how her father killed her mother, and very nearly killed her. He had shouted at her, tears overflowing from his eyes, of how he didn't want to do this, of how he had no choice.

Her father had raised the sickle in his hand. And then there was nothing but ice. Immense frozen pillars erupted from all around her, goring and ripping apart the small mob her father had organized. When she had awoken, it was to the sight of her father's face, cleaved in half by a small spike of ice.

She had remained petrified there for so long. She didn't eat, drink or even move to relieve herself. She had stayed there, sitting in her own tears and waste for what felt like years. Then Zabuza-sama came.

He took her under his wing, teaching her how to fight, how to kill. He had become almost like a father to her. She never brought these feelings up, since she was nothing more than a tool.

Tools weren't meant to feel anything.

A few tears began flowing out her clenched shut eyes. Zabuza-sama wouldn't be able to be healed without her help. The damage was so great. He was bedridden back in his hideout. He'd be so vulnerable without her.

She wasn't a good tool anymore.

She was nothing.

And so, she awaited oblivion.

**(?)**

Naruto didn't know where he was.

It was entirely dark.

Nothing could help him perceive the world around, not even his Thermal Vision.

He could feel a hundred, thousand moving creatures tickling his flesh.

They writhed about his form, leaving what felt like slime dripping off of him.

He was powerless, here.

And he knew this place.

It was his soul.

The ocean of blood. The portraits of the damned in the sky. The cries and howls, all that remained all those he consumed.

He felt himself falling.

And he struck the surface of something liquid.

He began sinking, his vision tinting red.

A voice, entirely unknown to him began speaking.

"_I see your truth Naruto."_

Naruto slowly peered around the blood he was submerged in.

He had been trapped within his own twisted soul for what felt like eons.

This voice was something new.

"_Your truth is clear to me."_

Naruto spoke in response, the blood bubbling.

"What truth do you see?"

"_Underneath your darkness, is a single mote of light."_

"Light? What do you mean? I have been trapped here, in the darkness for eternity. I have never seen any light. What is that? What is this light?"

"_You can no longer remember. I can sympathize with you. Here...allow me."_

Naruto felt himself rise upwards out of the blood.

He continued to ascend, past the screaming wind. Above the clouds of agony.

He stopped then. He looked down, and saw a planet below. One of endless night, with no land, just an endless abyss of crimson. Black clouds swirled around, with no rhyme or reason. There was no star to shine light on the world. It floated in the void of space, entirely alone.

"_There. Now we can speak properly."_

Naruto tilted his head.

"What do you wish to speak of?"

"_I seek to heal you Naruto. I want to see that light within shine bright. It has been smothered by your darkness for too long."_

"Do you mean for me to abandon my darkness then?"

"_No. It is a part of you. You must change the darkness. Rather than have it stifle the light within, make it a shield. To ensure the light is never extinguished."_

"What makes you think I still possess any light within me?"

"_No one other than yourself can fully eradicate your light. All the pain you've felt, all the killing, the destruction. It has eaten away at the light, until there was nothing more than a pinprick. For this light to fully vanish, you must willingly destroy it yourself."_

"I don't want to destroy my light. I remember...I have people who care for me. Who love me. That light continues to survive because of them. I love them as well. I don't want to leave them alone."

"_Then you must venture to the deepest and darkest portion of your soul. At the very bottom of the Sea of Scarlet. Your light resides there."_

"I see. I'll go there now. I'll find my light."

"_I hope you do Naruto." _

The mysterious voice of Truth vanished, and Naruto felt himself being drawn to the dark planet below. He re-entered the atmosphere, a ball of fire surrounding him, as his body ground against the air. He crashed into the Sea of Scarlet, and continued sinking, until the red had gave way to the darkness once more.

He touched down on the black silt. He could hear creatures swimming around. Saw what could only be eyes staring at him, glowing a bright red.

A sudden white light shining through made the creatures scatter. He continued forward, feet plodding along the bottom of the sea of blood. The light grew ever brighter, until Naruto was certain he was being blinded by it.

It was incredibly small. No larger than the seed of an orchid. Yet it shone with enough intensity to illuminate to a roughly 500-foot diameter all around.

Naruto entered the bright sphere of light, and felt his flesh begin to boil and melt away. He ignored the growing pain, and continued to walk forward. By the time he reached the mote of light, his skin had entirely gone away, as well as his muscles, and cartilage. He was nothing more than a skeleton, it's bones entirely black. But he didn't fall.

"I'm not here to destroy you."

The light dimmed in response, and Naruto felt his body regrow. Muscle regenerated and formed the complex system that allow movement. Cartilage reappeared in the joints of his skeleton, cushioning the bone, preventing from grinding itself to dust with every move. Skin covered the flesh once more. And clothing coated the skin.

"I'm here to free you from me."

The light intensified slightly, almost in disbelief.

"I know. But hear me out. Light and Dark cannot exist in harmony."

The small dot of light began to glow in response to what it perceived as a threat.

"But they cannot exist without one another."

The dot of light flickered. Almost as though it was blinking.

"Without it's opposite, there is no individual Light or Dark. There is nothing to compare it against."

The luminous orb began to float up and down, eagerly awaiting.

"Here...come into my hand." Naruto reached out, palm upwards.

The sphere of light hesitated for a moment, before moving into Naruto's hand. His fingers gently curled around the orb.

"I have been awash in the hatred of those who I kill. Their pain piled onto my own, until I could stand no longer."

Naruto reopened his fingers, and began to gently stroke the ball of light with his other hand. The orb glowed brighter.

"No more. The virus has influence my thoughts and actions for too long. I will silence it forever. I will kill of my own volition now. The agony of those I destroy will never burden me again."

Like before, Naruto ascended from the Sea of Scarlet, until he was gazing down at the planet below once more.

"_You have it? I expected you to take longer."_

"I focused on the light. I encountered no resistance."

"_Good. My work is done now."_

"Why did you help me? I don't know you. You could have left to wallow here for all eternity."

"_I see a way to atone through you."_

"Atone?"

"_Do you know of the legend of The Rikudou Sennin?"_

"The fool who allowed chakra into the hand of humanity? Yes."

"_How much do you know?"_

"The Rikudou Sennin created the Bijuu from a primordial entity called the Juubi. Supposedly. There was mention of the Rikudou Sennin's brother, but it never went into detail."

"_Of course...I was never written into history..."_

"Who are you then?"

"_I am Hamura Ootsutsuki."_

Naruto heard the jingling of tin rings from behind him. Ordinarily, such a sound would be impossible given he was in the vacuum of outer space, but this place wasn't one where the laws of nature ruled. Naruto turned, and saw a kimono-clad elderly man behind him.

The old man had white hair that reached down to his waist, with bangs swept to the left of his face. A single chin length lock of hair, with a black ribbon tied around it. His eyes were a featureless white, identical to the Byakugan. His face was wrinkled with age, and he looked very tired. His kimono was a stark white, with a black interior lining. A pattern of six magatama wrapping around a high collar, and a necklace with six red magatama was around his neck. He had a sword strapped to his left hip, and he wielded a shakujo staff in his right hand, with twelve tin rings. Two horn-like protrusions emerged from his forehead.

"Hamura...Ootsutsuki..." Naruto repeated the name.

Why was the Rikudou Sennin's brother here? More over, what did he mean by atoning?

Hamura nodded.

"_Yes. You're confused so I'll explain myself. Once I and Hagoromo sealed away the body of the Juubi in what you now refer to as the moon, I passed away shortly after. I lingered in the world of the Living for centuries. I saw my body rot away. The time spent here has even eroded my spirit away. I am sustained only by my will to exist. If I so chose to, I would stop existing entirely."_

"Well that explains why you aren't in the afterlife, but that still doesn't explain why you helped me."

"_You hold a fragment of the Juubi within you. Hagoromo saw them as his children. And I suppose I view myself as their uncle of sorts. And I know of the prophecy you are bound to."_

"Prophecy? Don't tell me you actually believe in that."

"_I don't. Kami has always operated with prophecy and is always so certain of the future she sees. I am part of the reason of why your world is so soaked with blood and dominated by death. I should have told Hagoromo to keep chakra to ourselves, and to never spread it to the rest of humanity. But instead, I agreed with his concept of 'Ninshu' and in my foolishness, the status quo returned, this time burgeoned with the immense power behind chakra, and war broke out once more. The human population dropped from a few billion to just under a billion within a century."_

"And you think you can make things right?"

"_No. There is no redemption for me. Chakra proved to be addictive to the human body, and once exposed to it, the body becomes entirely dependent on Chakra. I want you to remove Chakra from humanity entirely. Erase my mistakes, and leave this world entirely barren. For even it, has grown addicted to Chakra. Natural energy is Chakra produced by the planet itself."_

"So you're saying you want me to destroy everything on this world, forever?"

"_I know it seems ridiculous. Me, telling you to destroy. But this world cannot exist any longer. It must not. If humanity learns to travel the stars, like the humans from so many other worlds, Chakra will tear apart reality itself. It must be stopped. Here and now."_

"And why should I do that? I care nothing for the world. Only those close to my own heart. "

"_I know that. And I know you are fully capable of devising a means to leave the planet behind. But, I implore you. Ensure that Chakra dies here. Fix our greatest blunder. Here...a show of good faith."_

Hamura turned to his left, and shouted out.

"_Asura! Reveal yourself, now!"_

Another figure materialized into existence. This 'Asura' was clad in a cream kimono, which was adorned with magatama around the collar. The kimono was held closed with a dark brown sash. Underneath the kimono, he wore an entirely black body suit. He possessed dark brown, spiky hair, with two locks, bound with bandages, framing his face. He wore a blank forehead protector.

"_Uncle! What are you doing?!"_

Hamura looked at Asura, his wrinkled face with an expression of guilt.

"_Naruto needs to deal with you. Better now than later."_

Hamura turned to Naruto, who had tensed at Asura's sudden appearance.

"_This is Asura. Your chakra transmigrant."_

Naruto gained an extremely confused expression. Transmigrant? What could that mean?

"_His chakra was passed to you when you were born. Asura's soul bound within. The prophecy states that Asura's transmigrant would battle with Indra's transmigrant, and the victor would determine the fate of the world. This prophecy will not come to pass. And I know you refuse to be bound against your will. You must purge Asura from your chakra."_

Asura whirled to Naruto, a frantic look on his face.

"_No! Don't listen to him! I'm trying to save the world! I know this world still has a chance!"_

Naruto floated forwards to Asura, his form changing until the featureless face of his soul was all that Asura could see. Black smoke filled his lungs, and Asura felt himself begin to weaken.

"**No. I'm not entirely certain of whatever bullshit prophecy I'm supposed to follow, but I already know I won't follow along like a good little puppy. The Shinigami put the Blacklight virus in me as a newborn. Kami has this prophecy slated to make me the world's savior or destroyer."**

Asura was scarcely coherent. Naruto was overflowing him with the smoke that consisted of his soul, and he could feel himself _fading_.

"**I'm tired of gods trying to control me. I refuse to be bound to some Kami, who claims to be all-powerful and benevolent, and yet she allows this world to fester. I'm not too sure of what Death's planning, but I know I want nothing to do with it."**

The Rikudou Sennin's youngest son was reduced to a mere mote of light.

"**And I know for damn sure, I don't want some moron in my fucking chakra of all things. Get the fuck out of me. _Now."_**

And with that, Asura vanished in a flash of light. Banished to the afterlife, where he belonged.

Naruto didn't return to his physical form. He looked at his arms, still composed of black smoke.

"**I want to know something. What the hell am I?"**

Hamura looked at Naruto, and an expression of pity was on his face.

"_I've no idea. You aren't human nor monster. You are neither a demon or an angel. You're something new."_

Naruto clenched his fists. And his voice trembled with rage.

"**Why me? Why must I live like this? What the fuck did I ever do to deserve this!?" **

"_I wish I could answer that for you Naruto."_

Naruto continued to seethe.

"**I lose my humanity before I'm even an hour old! I kill as a young child! And this virus, it makes me want to kill. To consume everything I can."**

He relaxed his hands, and let them fall limply to his side.

"**And not even my soul is spared. It becomes something nearly identical to a Demon."**

"_I know."_

If Naruto had eyes to close, he would have done so. Instead, he simply gazed down at the orb of light, still within his right palm.

"**So what do I do with this then?"**

"_Regain control over yourself. The virus will no longer influence you to kill or consume. You will become your own master. Once and for all."_

Naruto nodded.

"**Yeah. I should probably get back to the real world now. Who knows how much the women in my life are worrying about me."**

Hamura chortled.

"_Yes, they are more than a little bit concerned. I recommend you prepare yourself for the moment you come face-to-face with them."_

Naruto briefly shivered.

"**Oh yeah. They can be very scary. I think I'll try and calm them down first."**

Hamura loosed another chuckle, before he started fading away. Naruto looked to him, and spoke.

"**Why would you willingly fade into nothingness?"**

Hamura's now translucent face wrinkled in another smile.

"_I've been here for so long. This is the only way I'll get peace. It's better than having to watch the world slowly die."_

Naruto nodded.

"**I suppose so. This might sound a bit weird coming from me, but I hope you get your peace."**

Hamura's smile grew to the point it forced his eyes closed, and he vanished entirely.

With Hamura gone, the world around him began to change. The planet below disappeared entirely, and only the vast majesty of creation remained, with stars, nebulae, and entire galaxies shining brightly.

Eventually, the real world began to bleed in, replacing the wondrous sights with the destroyed forest. There was a young girl, garbed in a pink sleeveless kimono, with pale red edges and light purple swirls decorating it. She had long, glossy, black hair that flowed down to her waist, with two long bangs that fell roughly to where her navel would be. She was sitting down, eyes closed. As though she was waiting for something.

He noticed he had his Claws out, and gave a silent sigh of relief that he hadn't hurt anyone in his brief state of instability.

Wait, what? Why did he care?

Naruto shook the question out of his head, and shifted his arms into their normal form. He'd have to answer it later, when he had free time. He needed to deal with this girl first.

"Tell me now, what did you see?"

The girl opened her eyes, and looked at him. Her eyes widened in what could only be fear, and she began crawling away. Naruto gave an irritated growl, and grabbed her ankle. With a terrified yelp, the girl was lifted upwards, and dangled from Naruto's hand. He began violently shaking her, and his voice grew a hint of anger.

"Tell me what you saw now!"

The girl stopped resisting, and once Naruto stopped making a rag doll of her, answered, her voice trembling in her panic.

"I-I saw you in the crater, and when you woke up, you w-were growling." The girl stopped to take a shuddering breath, and continued. "You noticed me, and your eyes were completely black..." She was interrupted when a Claw suddenly pressed against her chest, the tip drawing blood, the crimson fluid flowing down her body, until it reached, and began dripping down, her chin. The girl gave another shudder, and she opened her mouth to speak once more.

"Please! I won't tell anyone! Just let me go!"

Her world spun wildly, and her vision was no longer inverted. Blue-silver eyes, narrowed in annoyance. The Claw that once threatened to lance through her heart, was now dangerously close to one of her eyes. The metallic sharp digit perfectly still, the tip just a few millimeters from her pupil.

"Yeah. Sure. I'll just let you go on ahead, having witnessed me lose my marbles."

He placed the Claw's tip closer, until it was just a single millimeter away from her eye.

"I recommend you tell me one very good reason as to why I shouldn't make eyeball-kabob right now."

Haku swallowed, and a few drops of sweat trickled down the side of her head.

"I-I..."

Naruto raised an eyebrow, and straightened his Clawed arm. Preparing to kill the girl in his grasp.

"I-I-I'm thinking I'm gonna fucking kill you." He mockingly repeated her stuttering. He continued speaking. "I know you're that fake hunter-nin." Haku's eyes widened. How?! How did he know!?

"I'm just trying to heal Zabuza-sama!" She cried out.

Naruto retracted the Claw, and put the Clawed hand at his side. He put Haku on the ground and let go of her.

"I see." Naruto glared at her, eyes glowing brightly. "I trust you won't tell anyone other than him?"

Haku nodded, taken aback by the hooded blonde's releasing of her.

Naruto stopped glaring, and turned around. He climbed upwards out of the crater he was within, and called out to her.

"Tell Zabuza that I'll be waiting for him."

And with that said, Naruto walked away. He continued for maybe thirty feet, until Haku's voice drew his attention.

"Wait!"

He turned to see her getting out the crater, a look of bewilderment on her face.

"Why didn't you kill me? I'm your enemy, aren't I?"

Naruto stared at her blankly. The unblinking gaze of the hooded blonde made Haku tense, until he spoke.

"I just had an experience that I'm sure will change me greatly. I don't have the time nor the patience to deal with you just yet. I'm not working for Konoha's interest. It's just a job to me. I don't buy into their 'Will of Fire' bullshit. I don't care much for working in teams. But it gets me money. I don't need the money, but it's a useful asset anyway."

He turned away from her, and began walking once more. He called out to her one last time.

"Get in my way, and I'll kill you. Hurt anyone I care about, I'll erase you. I recommend you and Zabuza pack up and find work elsewhere. I was feeling oddly merciful back then. You won't have that luxury the next time. If you value your precious 'Zabuza-sama's' life, you'll convince him to leave."

And with that said, Naruto suddenly sprinted away. Trees bending from the concussive blast of air he emitted in his wake.

Haku would take his words to heart. She'd try and convince Zabuza-sama to leave. Otherwise, that hooded blonde would kill him.

Zabuza-sama claimed to be a demon.

Haku had the succinct feeling that hooded blonde was a real demon.

And neither her, nor Zabuza-sama, or even all of Gato's men could stand against him.

She collected what few herbs were left in the devastated forest, and headed back to her master's hideout.

Hopefully, Zabuza-sama would agree, and leave.

If he didn't...

He wouldn't survive his next encounter with Naruto. And Haku would be left alone.

She didn't want to be alone. Ever again.

* * *

**...Blame Fallen-Ryu for giving me the basis for that debacle with Hamura. Anyway! Naruto frees his light! He's starting to change! He didn't kill Haku! What the hell is going on?! Make sure to review!**

**And I'll just put some context out there.**

**The light represents all that's left of Naruto's humanity. Now that's it free, the virus can no longer influence him to kill or consume. He'll still do so mind you. Just not wantonly as he did before. There will be other changes made apparent, but if I told you, I'd be spoiling.**

**Naruto didn't kill Haku plainly because he was too damn tired to deal with her the normal way. **

**Naruto did spend quite some time, to him at least, wandering the depths of his soul. It will have changed him dramatically, I assure you. In what ways...well you'll find out. Soon enough.**

**I'd put more context there but I'm about to fall asleep in my chair. Just question me in the reviews. I'll do my best to answer them.**

**Right! Bed time! Buh-bye!**


	19. Chapter 19

_Chapter 19_

_A sister's love, and being forgiven_

"_It is important that we forgive ourselves for making mistakes. We need to learn from our errors, and move on..." -Steve Maraboli_

* * *

Naruto gripped at his forehead as another headache came to him. He had been walking for a few minutes back to Tazuna's home, when these migraines just came to him. Were they the result of freeing his light? Or were they something else?

He shook the pain away, and continued walking. He'd have to answer those questions later. He vaguely remembered brushing off Saiyuri. Knowing her, she was likely going to turn Inari into a barely-recognizable charred corpse for setting him off in the first place.

If it wasn't that, she was likely holed up in her room. Crying. Because of him.

A foreign feeling stabbed at him then. What was it called? Something with a 'G'?

Oh yes. Guilt. He was feeling guilty. That's new. It certainly didn't feel good. Indeed, it felt as though someone had just pierced his chest with a red-hot metal spike.

What the hell had he done? He was always trying to keep his anger and pain to himself. Could you blame him? If he opened up, who knew what could happen? He might just take out his anger on his loved ones.

And that was one of the very worst things he hated about humans. Their need to find something other than themselves to blame for their own wrongs. A husband venting his anger onto his wife, for no reason other than that she was the closest person nearby to blame, who then pours out her own anger onto her young son, who, when he became a father many years later, would do the same thing.

That enraged him to no end. It was just so nonsensical. He would **NEVER **do the same. He had to fix that wrong now.

_'Naruto...?'_

The hooded blonde gave a quiet sigh of relief at hearing Kushina's voice. She didn't seem to have been harmed by his brief psychotic episode.

'Are you alright?'

_'I should be asking you that.'_

He chuckled inwardly.

'You won't need to worry. I feel...better now. Better than before at least.'

_'Please...' _Her voice trembled with emotion. _'Don't you ever scare me like that ever again.'_

'I promise. Tell the others I'm fine.'

He could picture Kushina nodding, and the mental link was closed.

Just as the link was closed, he felt something move in the canopy above him. Tensing, he formed his Claws, and looked upwards. A few branches were moving back and forth, likely used as a springboard for either ninja, or something else. A snapping twig from behind had him whirl around, Claws at the ready. He heard a young girl's laugh, bright, and happy.

He kept his guard up. Not that it worked anyway. A pair of thin, feminine arms wrapped around his waist from behind. Loosing a snarl, he turned on his heel and swiped at thin air. The girl's laughter continued, sounding like the tinkling of little bells.

"Onii-sama..."

'What the fuck?' Naruto seethed internally. Whatever was stalking him, it couldn't have been a ninja. He felt no chakra at all around him. So what the hell was...

He was suddenly tackled to the ground, and his Clawed arms pinned the ground. He gave a slight cry of surprise, until he felt soft, silky hair brush against his face. He looked at his chest, and was incredibly confused at what he saw.

A young girl, no older than 15. She was wearing a white dress that would have fell to her knees if they weren't riding up her slender thighs. Dark green hair danced in front of him, and eyes of the same color gazed down at him with love and adoration. The girl possessed a complexion near identical to his own.

Who was this girl? And more importantly, where did she find the strength to pin him down? No matter how hard he pushed, he couldn't budge his arms an inch. He was torn from his thoughts when the girl placed her head on his chest, and she took in a deep breath through her nose. She seemed to like how he smelled considering the luminous smile on her face.

"Finally, Naruto-Onii-sama...I found you..." She gave a pleasant sigh, and snuggled further into his chest.

What the hell? Naruto couldn't detect even the slightest amount of Killing Intent coming from this girl. She really did consider him her brother. Wait...

"How do you know my name?" He whispered out.

The girl lifted her head from his chest, and pressed her forehead against his gently. All he could see were those green eyes, literally glowing with happiness.

"Orochi-Ojichan told me!" She cheerily chirped out.

Alarms blared in Naruto's head. Orochimaru?! Shit!

Had Orochimaru somehow obtain a sample of the Blacklight Virus? It was simply the only thing that explained the girl's inhuman strength.

He had to tread carefully. This girl was either one of his subordinates, or an experiment who got loose. Either way, she possessed intel.

"Okay...How did Orochi-Ojichan know about me?" He would have to play along for now. The girl seemed genuinely innocent.

The green-haired maiden's smile widened even more.

"He said that some of the sp...spo...spis..." The girl struggled with a word. Naruto helpfully interjected.

"Do you mean spies?"

The girl nodded, her hair wildly swinging about.

"Yes! Oro-jichan said some of his spies found this black stuff in some sewers, and that it was from you!"

Liquid nitrogen flowed through Naruto's body. Son of a bitch. The Hokage had told him of how there were these strange black stains found at the alleyway where he first consumed. The stains were washed away into the sewers...

The girl continued, ignorant of the growing dread inside Naruto.

"Oro-jichan said he did something with eggs from my Kaa-san and I was born. He said that because of the black stains, you were my Onii-chan!"

Oh shit. That sentiment seemed to be shared by Anastasia.

_**'Oh my god. She's another Pariah...'**_

Before he could question her as to what that meant, the girl continued.

"Oro-jichan said you were going to be here, and said I could go looking for you!" She released his pinned arms, and wrapped her arms around Naruto's neck in a loving hug. "And I found you Onii-chan!"

Naruto, a bit unsure, patted the girl lightly on the back. Well. Apparently he had a sister now.

He personally didn't care about whatever Orochimaru was planning. So long as he kept Naruto and his girls out of it. Anastasia spoke up once more.

_**'Naruto, what are you going to do with her?'**_

'Well, I'm most certainly not going to do anything to hurt her. She was created using the Blacklight virus.'

_**'She seems innocent enough. I don't think she's even consumed anyone before. Check to see if she has a soul.'**_

He nodded inwardly, and gazed at the girl intensely. Her body soon faded away into blackness, and a bright blue light, shining through her body, was visible. He noted it, and his vision returned to normal.

'She does have one. Brightest I've ever seen. She's entirely...pure I suppose.'

_**'Huh. From we know of Orochimaru, this doesn't seem right. He called him 'grandpa' right? So it's obvious she loves him.' **_A hint of incredulity was in the next few words. **_'You don't think he loves her back, do you?'_**

'I've no idea. I'll check for a Cursed Seal.'

Orochimaru had a very distinct chakra signature. Twisted and malevolent. It would be simplicity to detect it in one of his Cursed Seals. But he couldn't find one on her.

'Well, He isn't planning on using her as a body.'

_**'That's...odd. The bunker had all these files on Orochimaru's soul-transfer technique. You'd think someone quite literally born with the Blacklight Virus would be a good body for him.'**_

'Yeah. Something happened with Orochimaru. Hopefully for the better.'

He would have continued speaking to Anastasia, but the girl's whine into his ear demanded his attention.

"Mou...Onii-sama isn't hugging me..." She had a pout on her face, and her lower lip was quivering. A few tears were beginning to gather in the corners of her eyes.

'Oh no. Don't tell me...'

Anastasia guffawed at his reaction.

_**'Well? You gonna leave your little imoto-chan without a hug?'**_

'...Shut up.'

He once more turned his attention to the girl, and after a small amount of hesitation, gently wrapped his arms around her lithe form. She gave a happy noise somewhere between a squeal and a laugh, and hugged him tighter, and she pressed the side of her head against his chest, smile so wide it forced her eyes closed.

He gave a quiet sigh, and decided to ask her one last question.

"What's your name?"

The girl took her head off his chest and chirped out.

"Saya!"

Naruto couldn't help the smile that grew on his face. Her happiness seemed infectious.

After a minute of hugging, Saya got off him and he was able to observe her more fully.

Her white dress had a single decorative black ribbon. Her hair fell to her waist, and two peculiar tufts of hair which, in complete and total defiance of gravity, stuck out to both sides of her head. They very vaguely resembled floppy cat ears. Two long strands of hair framed her face, and reached down to her chest. She was also barefoot.

It would be a few more minutes, Saya in tow, until he reached Tazuna's house. He couldn't just walk through the front door. Especially with Saya. So instead, he elected to enter through a window. Specifically, the window to the room where he and Saiyuri slept last night. He alighted on top of the roof, followed by Saya.

Saya seemed to possess the same strength and agility he had. No matter how fast he ran, or high he jumped, Saya was usually right behind him. He had yet to see if she could shape-shift, but it was likely she either didn't know she was capable of it, or was just beginning to learn how to use it.

Perhaps through her, he'd be able to form an alliance with Orochimaru. Having a Sannin at his back would be good, especially one so feared as him. He'd have to entice him with a controlled infection, something that would guarantee Orochimaru gaining the immortality he desired.

Of course, if Orochimaru tried to betray him...

He'd kill him, of course.

He took Saya to the side.

"Okay. Listen to me Saya. My friend is in the room right now, and I imagine she wouldn't be too pleased at me bringing in someone who she doesn't know. Let me talk to her first. Just wait out here."

She nodded, and stepped to the side of the window.

Naruto, being extremely careful so as not to make too much noise, slid the window upwards. It either wasn't locked, or simply didn't possess one. Once the window was wide enough for him to slip through, he placed his feet first, and once they made contact with the wooden floor, he squeezed through.

The single light above was off, and the room would have been pitch-black for ordinary humans. Not a problem for Naruto. His eyes were significantly more sensitive to light, and the sensitivity could be adjusted so as not to completely blind him on a sunny day. Some light streamed in from the open window, and illuminated a figure on the bed. Raven hair, and pale skin.

Saiyuri.

He slowly walked around the bed, not making a single noise. He could plainly see her face now. Her eyes were somewhat puffy, and it looked as though she had been crying recently. She slept fitfully, constantly tossing and turning. He kneeled down to her eye-level, and caressed her cheek. Saiyuri gave a quiet whine, before she opened her eyes. The first thing she saw was him, and it took a moment for her to realize that Naruto was there.

Once she did however...

Her eyes widened, as she shot upwards, grabbing him in a frenzied hug.

"Naruto!" She cried out in a hushed voice. Tears began to flow from her eyes once more, and she began speaking, only stopping to occasionally hiccup.

"You...ran away from me..." She began pounding away at his chest, each blow feeling like a knife piercing his heart. "Do you know how scared I was!? Don't ever do that again!" The impacts of her fists weakened, until they were no more. She pressed herself against him as hard as he could, and he carefully wrapped his arms around her. She began whimpering slightly, and she whispered out, barely audible even to Naruto's ears.

"_Don't ever leave me alone like that..."_

'Ugh...I feel...like...such...an ass.' Naruto said internally. Damn it all. Guilt sucked. A lot.

**'You're feeling guilty?' **There was some disbelief in Kyara's voice.

'What do you mean by that?'

**'I didn't mean it like that. What happened to you when you blacked out?'**

'It was surreal and nightmarish. I came out of that experience better. For the most part at least.'

**'Are you going to give us more detail on this experience of yours?'**

'You don't want to know.'

Kyara hummed lightly, before she closed the link.

Crap. That hum meant trouble. He didn't know what kind, just that he was going to regret going into the mindscape next time.

He returned his attention to Saiyuri, and in an effort to soothe her, began rubbing her back. She responded well, her sobs quieting to a simple sniffle every now and then. Naruto rested his chin on top of her head, and decided to drop the bomb.

"Orochimaru may have the Blacklight Virus."

Saiyuri gave a surprised gasp, and looked upwards at Naruto's face, eyes wide in disbelief.

"W-What? How do you know?"

He gave a tired sigh, and answered.

"He...created someone using it. She's right outside the window."

Saiyuri whirled to the still open window, and saw Saya there, a look of uncertainty on her face. Saya gave a nervous wave.

The Uchiha heiress turned back to Naruto, with an incredulous look on her face.

"That's her? And you didn't just kill her on principle alone?"

Saya gave a slight flinch at that.

Naruto frowned slightly and explained himself.

"She has the virus, and she hasn't shown any hostility towards me. Relax." His frown was replaced with an amused smirk. "She actually considers me her 'Onii-chan'."

Saiyuri gave a light chuckle, and looked back at Saya.

"Sorry about that. There's just a lot of people who want to hurt Naruto. I couldn't be too careful." She smiled, in an effort to make Saya more comfortable. "I'm Saiyuri. What's your name?"

Saya smiled back.

"I'm Saya! Naruto-nii-sama told me about you. I hope we can be friends!"

Naruto interjected the introductions.

"Okay, everyone knows each others names. But, looking at the time, I think we should get some rest." He let go of Saiyuri, much to her displeasure, given the small whine she gave. Naruto flopped onto the bed, the old springs squeaking in protest. He rested his head on the odd-smelling pillow, and closed his eyes. Before he nodded off, he spoke one last time.

"I hope you two can get along. I don't want to wake up to an argument or some shit like that." And with that, he fell asleep.

Saiyuri and Saya looked at each other for a moment. Then a spark appeared in both of their eyes. The two bolted to the bed, and each took hold of Naruto. Saya on the right, and Saiyuri on the left. The two briefly glared at each other, playfully mind you, before they each rested their heads on Naruto's chest.

The two shared a thought then.

'I think I'll like her.'

The two girls closed their eyes, and started nodding off.

Each had a pleasant dream about Naruto.

Neither knew of the events to come. The death, or the blood that would be spilled.

* * *

**GAAAAAAAAAH! THIS CHAPTER WAS SO FRUSTATING! GRRRRRRR...**

**Anyway. Yeah. My first take on this quickly went downhill until it reached the damn center of the earth. Hopefully, this time, it won't make me want to pull out every single hair on my head.**

**And as before, I'll address any concerns beforehand.**

_**Saya isn't a man-eating monstrosity! What?!**_

**Saya's origin isn't really gone into depth in Song of Saya. All they say is that she's an extra-dimensional entity. This gave me some leeway thankfully enough. So yeah. She's from Naruto's universe in my twisted, twisted, mind. She seems innocent right? _Right!? _Well, appearances deceive. She does love Naruto. Just in a very..._unique _way. You'll see in later chapters.**

_**Saya and Saiyuri are friends just like that?! What the hell have you been smoking!?**_

**Saiyuri's logic goes like this. 'If Naruto likes her, why shouldn't I?' Simple as that. And no, I haven't been smoking anything.**

_**Naruto trusts Saya so quickly! What the hell!? **_

**He's kinda out of it. Being trapped in your own dark, and twisted soul tends to do that to you. But he is coherent enough to see that her love is genuine. That, and he's naturally inclined to hold some affection for Infected. The virus no longer influences his violent urges. I never said anything about his higher thoughts, like love, and compassion.**

_**Naruto's going to align with Orochimaru?! Screw this **_**fic****_!_**

**He's making plans. He's not going to see all of them through. And you do realize that Naruto couldn't care less about Konoha? If anything, the invasion would provide the perfect opportunity for him to leave. Of course, I won't tell you whether or not he'll leave.**

**All right twenty questions (Read: Three) is over! Make sure to review! Do not bring up any of the points above or I'll get angry! And me being angry means...I write to relieve said anger. **

**Shit!**


	20. Chapter 20

_Chapter 20_

_Shenanigans and bridge work_

"_History has shown us time and time again that you don't need to know someone to love them with all your heart..." -Shannon L. Alder_

* * *

Waking up was a rather interesting ordeal. Saya had gripped onto Naruto so tightly that even when he somehow managed to extricate himself from Saiyuri's own iron grasp, and got out of bed, the girl was still hanging off of his form. After a few minutes of bending and twisting, he realized that he wouldn't be freed until Saya voluntarily let go of him.

Oh well. He had Bio-Clones. But he couldn't split himself fully. So instead, he willed his left arm to fall off, and once the severed limb hit the ground, it liquified. The black puddle writhed about for a few moments, until it extended two thick tendrils upwards. The tendrils soon gained a denim texture, and after a minute, Naruto was staring at himself. The Bio-Clone seemed dazed, and brought a hand to it's forehead. The Bio-Clone soon locked eyes with the original Naruto and decided to snark a little.

"Well that was fun. Having to take a human form from a puddle was great." The clone's voice dripped with sarcasm.

Naruto, not really in the mood to argue with the Clone **(Or was it himself?)** gave orders in a clipped tone.

"Just go downstairs. And act natural. If Kakashi or Sakura questions you as where I was, just say that I went out to cool off."

The clone nodded, and exited the room. Closing the door behind it with a soft click.

Naruto gave a quiet sigh, and looked down at Saya. The young girl had a small smile on her face, and he could swear the two tufts of hair on her head were wiggling around in happiness. A few drops of sweat dripped down the side of his face.

"How the hell do I get you off of me?"

**(Downstairs)**

The clone walked downstairs, and greeted Tsunami.

"Hello, Tsunami."

The woman clearly wasn't expecting him to be there, and she gave a frightful yelp, jumping slightly. She turned to Clone Naruto, hand placed on her chest in an effort to calm her racing heart.

"Naruto! When did you come back?"

The clone shrugged.

"Last night. I snuck in through a window. You might want to make sure those windows are secure. They were rather easy to open from outside."

Tsunami tried not to blush in embarrassment. She wasn't too good a carpenter, and her father built bridges. Not really conducive for making good barricades.

"Oh..." She rubbed her arm in slight discomfort. "Sorry, I'm not really experienced in home defense. The last time I tried to block a window, I ended up with a broken finger." She gave a slight wince at that memory. Broken bones hurt a lot after all.

The clone nodded, not really paying too much attention.

"Say, do you know where Kakashi is?" He inquired. Tsunami nodded, and pointed to the musty old sofa in the living room. Kakashi was sprawled across it, Icha-Icha book spread across his face. It seemed the cyclops slept with that damn smut book open.

A smirk grew on the clone's face, seeing a perfect opportunity to prank Kakashi. He stalked forward to Kakashi, Tsunami looking on with curiosity. Once he reached Kakashi, He kneeled down, and spoke directly into his ear, altering his voice to sound like a young woman.

"Kaka-kun...come to bed..." He made sure his voice was as sultry as he could make it. He faintly heard Tsunami giggling lightly. Kakashi twitched once in his sleep, and mumbled something out, preceded by perverse giggling.

"He-he...I'm coming Michiko-chan...I hope you're wearing the lingerie I bought for you..." His giggling grew louder, and Naruto could faintly see a growing lump in Kakashi's pants. After stifling a snicker, he continued with the act.

"Oh, don't worry Kaka-koi...they're nice and tight...come on...Don't make me wait..." He added a sensual whine to the end. Tsunami had to brace herself against the kitchen counter, and her giggling became laughing. Kakashi giggling grew louder still, and it seemed the lump could grow no more.

"Michiko-chan...You're so naughty..."

And with that, the clone decided to clinch it. Tendrils swarmed around Kakashi's head, each with a unique design. One looked very phallic, with blunt spurs surrounding the head. Another had several blades along it. Another still, had a snake-like head that possessed a jaw, but with no teeth. A few smaller tendrils would occasionally emerge from the mouth. They were numerous others, such so that describing them all would take a large amount of time.

The clone spoke one last time in the young woman's voice.

"Mmm...I can't wait Kaka-kun..." He distorted his voice until it no longer even sounded vaguely human. An impossibly deep tone, with a flanging effect. _**"**__**Co**__**M**__**e an**__**D**__** g**__**I**__**v**__**E**__** m**__**E **__**a ni**__**C**__**e, s**__**L**__**op**__**P**__**y, k**__**I**__**s**__**S**__**."**_

Kakashi giggling soon became a cry of utter horror as his dream turned a nightmare. The Icha-Icha book fell off his face, and his visible eye was widened in a mixture of terror and disgust.

Then he noticed the tendrils. Dozens of them. All around his head. No matter what way he turned, tendrils were there. He turned to where the tendrils seemed to be coming from, and gave a shocked gasp.

It seemed to be Naruto as the figure had a hood. But there was an impossible shadow concealing all of the finer details of the figure. Two red, gleaming eyes stared into his very soul. An impossibly wide grin, teeth crooked, rotten and crawling with insects, and parasites, shone through the darkness with a sickly yellow-green tint.

Kakashi stared for but a few moments, before he screamed like a little girl, and promptly fainted. Tsunami could no longer hold herself up, and had collapsed onto the floor a giggling mass. Tears openly streamed from her eyes, and she could scarcely breath. And the clone?

A snigger. A quiet chuckle. And then he could hold it back no longer. He returned to his normal appearance, the tendrils all retracting into his back, which he there upon fell back on, howling in hilarity. He banged the wooden floor with a fist, still retaining some control over himself so as not to damage the hardwood.

Tsunami stopped laughing when he heard Naruto's angry voice from upstairs. Wait. That was impossible. He was here, rolling on the floor and laughing. She sat up, and noticed an impossible sight.

There was a second Naruto on the stairs. He had an annoyed look on his face, and he glared towards the other Naruto.

"What the fuck's so funny?"

The Naruto on the floor raised a trembling finger to Kakashi, and after letting his hand drop, cackled some more.

The standing Naruto looked to Kakashi, and kneeled down to his face. He tilted his head in confusion and looked back at the floored Naruto.

"What did you do? He looks like he saw a damn ghost."

Indeed, Kakashi's face, or at least what little could be seen of it, had an aghast expression. His eye was wide, and unfocused, and Naruto was fairly certain his jaw was hanging slack. Kakashi's usually slightly pale skin was now white as a sheet. A few whimpers would occasionally sound out.

The clone, unable to speak because of it's laughter, motioned for Naruto to come closer. Naruto did so, and placed a hand on the clone's shoulder, and merged with it. The memories of the clone flooded into his mind.

He could see why the clone had laughed for so long. He stifled a chuckle, and turned to Tsunami.

She was sitting on the floor and her head wildly flailed to the stairs and where the clone once was. She spoke, voice wobbling in confusion and slight fear.

"W-Wha? You were there, and then you were there, and there were two of you and..." She shot out rapid-fire.

"Ninjas can clone themselves." It was short and to the point. Tsunami accepted the answer readily, and stood up, having calmed down at the answer.

"Oh. Is there anything a ninja can't do?" She asked in slight curiosity.

Naruto shrugged.

"I don't know. There are techniques that are capable of bending reality itself. They're the most advanced techniques ninjas are capable of."

Tsunami slowly nodded. It certainly put some perspective on just how powerful ninjas could be. Gato didn't employ ninja too often, as they usually cost a lot of money. Gato's main forces consisted of simple goons with little to no knowledge of how to actually fight. The man's cheapness would likely be his downfall.

Maybe, these ninjas would not only help her father create the bridge, but they might even eliminate Gato. The thought was enough to put a smile on her face. Gato needed to die for what he done. Not just to Kaiza, but for how he forced the entirety of Nami to live.

Her smile grew slightly demented. She'd love to attend his execution. To see him suffer as he made Kaiza did. Who knew, maybe she would even get to be the executioner...

Naruto raised an eyebrow when Tsunami began giggling to herself. It certainly wasn't a _sane _giggle. He could see her eyes darken with murderous intent.

'Huh. Guess Tsunami isn't quite so normal as I thought.'

**'She's thinking of vengeance on Gato, no doubt.'**

'Kyara, good to see you awake. Sleep well?'

**'Your concern is touching Naruto. Maybe I should thank you for it...'** There was a hint of teasing in her tone.

'Oh Kami, not you too...Did they turn you into a pervert too?'

She giggled lightly.

**'Well, they certainly did teach me a few things about coitus.' **She gave a sensual moan. **'Things I'd be perfectly willing to show you...'**

'Right. Closing the link.'

She gave an indignant cry, before he shut the mental link.

Seriously, it was as though he was a pervert magnet. At the very least it was of the fairer sex.

**(Somewhere in Kumo...)**

Jiraiya giggled as he looked through a small hole in the fence that separated the men from the women in the hot spring he was currently in. There were two bodacious blondes currently there. One with a rack to rival Tsunade's and the other lithe and slender with a much more modest bosom. He was hurriedly writing in a little notepad in his hands.

These two would make a perfect basis for his newest Icha-Icha book!

Any more deviant thoughts from the white-haired Sannin were cut short when he felt a sneeze building up. He dropped the notepad onto the small rock next to him, and plugged his nose shut. The sneeze built and built...

And didn't come.

Jiraiya gave a muffled sigh of relief, and returned to the hole. He couldn't get a second of further peeking done until another sneeze blindsided him. He quickly covered his mouth and nose, eyes widened in fear.

Had they noticed?

He kept still for a few harrowing minutes. It seemed they hadn't. He once more peeked through the hole to notice something strange. The two blonde babes were missing. He scratched at his head. Where could they have gone?

Two enraged feminine growls from behind him answered that question. Slowly, he faced his soon-to-be doom. The one with the big bust was glaring icily at him, and had a tanto gripped tightly in her hand. The other blonde was currently wreathed in red chakra.

Oh shit. He had angered one of Kumo's Jinchuuriki.

He was _fuc.. _

Before Jiraiya could further sink into dread and terror, the two blondes descended on him.

Bystanders from outside would tilt their heads in confusion at the high-pitched squeals coming from the female side of the hot-springs. They would later dismiss it as teenage girls playing around in there.

If only they knew...

**(Back in Nami)**

Naruto tilted his head as an odd sense of fulfillment flooded over him. He pushed the feeling away, and decided to rouse Kakashi from his terror-induced coma.

Namely by slapping him with enough force to send him flopping to the floor. He floundered for a few moments before stilling. He spoke, voice muffled by the floor.

"Ow..." He managed to get himself onto his hands and knees, and turned to look at Naruto.

"Oh...hey Naruto..." He rubbed at his forehead, and managed to pull himself up to his feet. Naruto, with a slightly amused look on his face, spoke to Kakashi.

"You're up. You look like you had a nightmare. What happened?" Inwardly, he was cackling.

Kakashi groaned in slight pain as he attempted to massage away his headache.

"Urgh...I was about to make sweet passionate love to this shrine maiden, when she revealed herself as a Hannya." He shivered lightly. "I think I woke up to another nightmare, cause there were all these..." He shuddered saying the next word. "_tentacles _around my face. I think you were there, but the guy where all the tentacles came from had these glowing red eyes, and teeth that would make even the greatest dentist throw in the towel." He finished speaking with a tremor rocking his entire body.

Naruto could clearly hear him mumble about how he'd keep one eye open when he went to sleep.

The hooded blonde chuckled lightly, and decided to give Kakashi one last moment of grief.

"Did his face look like this?" He innocently said, and his face was quickly shadowed. Kakashi shrunk away at the sight of the void where Naruto's face once was. Two red eyes lit up the room with a crimson tint, and those disgusting teeth spread across the darkness once more. A centipede crawled in between a gap, and waved about.

Kakashi stared at the sight with his single eye widened to the point that Naruto wouldn't have been too surprised if it just popped out of the socket. Kakashi gave a slight whimper, before fainting once more. Falling face-first.

Tsunami would have chuckled at Kakashi falling onto his face if she wasn't already fantasizing about killing Gato. Disturbingly, her hand had drifted down onto her crotch.

Naruto felt a single bead of sweat trail down his face at the sight of Tsunami.

'Okay, even I have to admit that's fucking weird.'

_'You know, when I get bored in here, sometimes I entertain myself with the thought of you tearing Minato-teme asunder.'_

'Don't even start.'

_'You have no idea just how gratifying it is to see you rip that bastard apart. I flow like a damn waterfall.'_

Naruto wasn't sure if Kushina was being serious or not.

He didn't want to know. At all.

He tuned out her increasingly vivid **(And oddly arousing)** descriptions in favor of waking Kakashi again.

By stomping onto his crotch.

Kakashi gave a falsetto scream of pure agony as he felt his testes crushed against the hardwood floor.

Naruto, entirely tired of the time being wasted, grabbed Kakashi by the scruff of his neck, completely ignoring the barely audible whimpers coming from his newly-emasculated sensei, and began shaking him.

"Kakashi. Are we going do something now or what?"

The Son of the White Fang, in too much pain to even consider speaking, simply nodded weakly. He was dropped unceremoniously onto the ground. And Naruto went back upstairs to wake Saiyuri. He'd have to figure something out about Saya. He couldn't just _introduce _her.

He knocked once on the door to his room, and Saiyuri's tired grumble prompted him to open the door.

Saiyuri was face-down on her pillow, and it seemed she had removed some clothing since he had left. Her black lace panties were on full display, as was her matching set of brassiere. Her clothing was strewn about the room haphazardly. Saya, meanwhile, was still fully dressed. She was wandering about the room, gazing with child-like wonder at everything she could see. Upon noticing the door was opened, Saya turned to Naruto, and her eyes lit up.

"Nii-sama!" Naruto gave a light grunt as Saya cannoned into his chest, arms wrapping around his chest. She began rubbing her cheek against his bubble vest. Naruto raised a hand to Saya's head, and began kneading her scalp. She seemed to enjoy it, given the slight mewl she gave.

"Hi Saya. Sleep well?"

Saya locked eyes with Naruto and nodded feverishly.

"Uh-huh!" A pink tint came over her cheeks then. "Can I always sleep with you?"

'Guh!'

_**'Awwww! She's so cute!' **_Anastasia cried out.

'...Shut up. The way that came out, it just sounded so wrong.'

_**'Why should I? Saya's just so darn adorable I could eat her up!' **_

There was a period of awkward silence.

_**'...Not like that.'**_

Naruto managed to cut his inward chuckle short, and returned his attention to Saya.

"I...suppose you can, Saya."

His little sister's(?) smile was enough to make Naruto's lips twitch into a smirk. Her hug grew tighter, and she squealed in glee.

"Thank you Onii-sama!"

An annoyed growl reminded them both that they weren't alone. They turned in unison to the bed.

Saiyuri was glaring slightly at the both of them.

"With all the noise you're making I can't get any sleep. Is there a reason why?" The Sharingan appeared in her eyes, spinning menacingly.

Naruto snickered quietly, drawing Saiyuri's ire, as her eyes whirled onto him. She hissed out the next few words.

"Is there something funny?"

The hooded blond stopped snickering and looked at Saiyuri with a teasing expression.

"Oh, nothing. Just that you don't look very intimidating in your underwear." A grin split his face. "If anything, you look amazing."

The female Uchiha blinked once, before looking down at herself. And yep. She was half-naked. An embarrassed squeal erupted from her mouth, as she attempted to cover herself with the blanket, her cheeks aflame.

"W-Why the hell am I in my underwear?!"

Naruto's grin faded to a mere smirk.

"I don't know. Maybe you just tossed away your clothes when you were asleep." His grin returned with full force. "Why are you so embarrassed? It's not like I haven't seen you completely in the nude."

Saiyuri's blush increased to the point it spread across her entire face. Her eyes drifted slightly, as she remembered that particular night. She was fairly certain no other pleasure could compare to when Naruto had...

A squeak tore itself from her lips.

Naruto stopped grinning.

"Anyway, as entertaining as teasing you is, we have work to do. I'll help you get dressed if you want."

Saiyuri nodded, and after two minutes of helping her get dressed, in which his hands would wander against his will **(Thanks to Kushina's meddling...)** to Saiyuri's well-endowed chest, and firm rear, much to her pleasure. **(Masked behind her embarrassment...) **If Saya knew what the two were doing she certainly wasn't showing it. Her head tilted to the side and Naruto would swear up and down the tuft of hair on the left side of her head wiggled in confusion.

"Onii-sama, why are you touching Yuri-nee like that?"

Naruto rubbed at the back of his neck, trying to come up with an answer.

"Erm...Because it's what two people who love each other do?"

Saya's eyes lit up in wonder.

"Oh..."

Then she gained a megawatt smile.

"Maybe Onii-sama can touch me like that then?"

Naruto's expression became blank.

'Oh, son of a...!'

Kushina's raucous laughter echoed throughout his mind. Anastasia was giggling lightly. Kyara meanwhile...

**'Oh my. Naruto, I had no idea you were so kinky...'**

'Shaddup. I think I liked you better back when you kinda sorta innocent.'

**'Oh? You mean...' **Her voice morphed to that of a young girl's. **'Like this Onii-sama?'**

'…'

**'Onii-chan?'**

'I hate you all.'

All three chorused in unison,

_**'Love you too Naru-kun!'**_

He slammed his palm into his face. Saiyuri was startled at the sudden noise, and Saya was simply confused.

"Um...Naruto? You okay?" Saiyuri questioned gently.

The hooded blonde answered, his voice muffled by the hand over his face.

"Perfectly fine. Hunky-dory. Okey-dokey. It's not as though there are three of the most perverted perverts ever are all in my head."

A few drops of sweat trickled down the back of Saiyuri's head.

"They're all teasing you?"

He nodded. It made for a humorous sight, with his face still buried in his palm.

Saiyuri continued.

"Kyara's talking like Saya now?"

Another nod.

The female Uchiha smirked, seeing the perfect opportunity to get back at Naruto. She wrapped her arms around his waist, pressing her bosom as hard as she could against his back. She whispered out, in a sultry tone.

"You know...I consider you my Onii-chan too..."

That got a response from Naruto. He swiftly ran out of the room, Saiyuri having let go a moment before. He had forgotten to take his palm off his face however. And sprinted face-first into the wall adjacent from the door. His head was buried into the slightly moldy plaster. Palm still stuck to his face.

Saya quickly rushed forward, tears trailing behind her.

"Onii-sama! Are you okay?! Do you need help!?"

Saiyuri meanwhile had pumped a fist upwards in victory.

'Ha-hah! Take that, Naru-kun!' A chibified version of herself materialized into existence above her head, along with a chibi Naruto. There was a score-board between the two of them. Naruto's side read a thousand fifty, and Saiyuri's side read zero. At least, until the chibi Saiyuri flipped the first card, revealing the number one. Chibi Saiyuri gave a peace sign to Chibi Naruto, who responded by blowing a kiss to her. Chibi Saiyuri blushed, and Naruto's scorecard increased to a thousand fifty...and a half. Chibi Naruto put his hands in his pockets, and smirked in satisfaction.

The above events all took place in Saiyuri's head, mind you. And at the end, Saiyuri huddled into a corner, tears streaming from her eyes.

'Even Chibi Naru-kun can tease me...' She thought despondently to herself.

Meanwhile, the real Naruto had been extricated from the drywall with Saya's help, and he flopped onto his back, eyes replaced by spinning swirls. Saya was hurriedly fanning Naruto's face in an effort to rouse him.

"Urgh...anyone get the number of the train that ran me over...?" He murmured dazedly to himself.

If Saya knew what train was she didn't show it, considering how she abandoned trying to wake Naruto gently, and instead kneeled down to his face. A blush came over her cheeks.

Some of the books Orochi-jichan gave her had this weird name. Icha-Icha was it? She didn't understand most of them, even when she turned the book sideways or upside down, but all had this thing called 'kissing'. A kiss was when you put your lips on another person's. Some of the other books she read had a princess being woken up with a kiss. Naruto wasn't a princess by any means, but maybe her kissing him would wake him up.

Her blush intensifying, she puckered her lips together, and kissed Naruto.

His eyes swiftly became focused once more, and they widened when he realized what Saya was doing. Saya, seeing that Naruto was awake, took her lips off of Naruto's **(Much to her slight disappointment...) **and smiled widely, blush still on her cheeks.

"You're awake Nii-sama!"

Naruto didn't respond externally. Internally, however...

'…Oh...my...Kami...'

_'Ha! You were kissed by Saya!'_

_**'I think she did it because she thought it would wake Naruto up.'**_

**'Well it worked didn't it?'**

'Seriously? I get kissed full on the lips by a young girl who thinks of me as her older brother and none of you are concerned in the least?'

_'Well, considering how you did have sex with me, add on the fact that I birthed you, this isn't too surprising.'_

_**'Love is love. Besides, it's not as though you can have children.'**_

**'Adopting would be nice though. If only so I can spoil the little brats rotten.'**

'Okay, everyone goes quiet now.'

He shut the link once more, ignoring the whines coming from all three of the women.

He focused on Saya.

"Okay. Let's just pretend that didn't happen. Saya, I need you to find somewhere to hide."

Saya tilted her head in confusion.

"Why Naru-nii?"

Naruto stood up, and placed a hand on top of Saya's head.

"Because everyone else might not be as friendly as Yuri-nee. Can you take care of yourself for a few hours?"

The green-haired girl nodded, a determined look on her face.

"Hai!"

Naruto smiled at her, and patted her once on the head. He walked over to the door behind him, and opened it slightly, speaking through the small gap.

"Saiyuri, you done laughing yet?"

She weakly managed to answer.

"Yeah. I think I laughed for too long. My throat hurts now."

Naruto smirked in amusement.

"Want me to massage the pain away?"

"Shut up." By her tone of voice, she was likely blushing. As per usual.

Naruto briefly chuckled, before closing the door. He gazed to Saya one last time, and the girl nodded again. The unheard message clear in her eyes.

_I won't disappoint you, Naru-nii!_

He turned his gaze away from her, and proceeded down the stairs, followed by Saiyuri, who had left the room a second before.

The first sight was of Kakashi, trying and failing to get to his feet. Occasionally he would wince in pain, and a hand would dart to his abused crotch.

Saiyuri raised an eyebrow.

"Naruto, what happened to Kaka-sensei?"

Naruto turned to her, a cheery smirk on his face.

"Oh nothing. I just woke him up."

Saiyuri blinked once.

She was fairly certain she had heard Kakashi squeal in pain a few minutes ago. Had Naruto awoken him with a stomp to the groin or something? She pouted slightly. That would have been so funny to see...

The next thing Saiyuri saw was enough to make her consider attempting to dispel a genjutsu. Tsunami was giggling madly. All the while rubbing at her...

"Okay...What about Tsunami?"

At that Naruto shrugged.

"I've no idea. It could be she's having an unusually long day-dream about killing Gato or something."

Saiyuri nodded briefly. If the woman got off of that, she wouldn't judge.

The hooded blonde strode towards Kakashi, footsteps entirely silent. When he was right behind Kakashi. He kneeled down, and whispered directly into Kakashi's ear.

"What are we going to do today?"

Kakashi loosed another oddly feminine scream, and leapt to his feet, only to collapse to the floor with a quiet whimper once more. The force put into the jump had put a lot of pressure directly onto his flattened testes.

Naruto, having had enough of the joke, picked Kakashi up by the back of his neck.

"Like I said, what are we doing?"

Kakashi managed to squeak out an answer.

"H-Ha-Help Tazuna...build h-he-he-his bridge..."

He was once more dropped onto the ground. Naruto turned to Saiyuri.

"Well there you go." He began walking towards the door that led outside. "Go find Sakura and the both of you can meet me at the construction site." He opened the door and walked outside, closing the door behind him.

Saiyuri lightly sighed, before looking at Kakashi's fallen form.

"Do you know where Sakura is?"

He raised a finger, trembling all the while in his agony, towards the bathroom, until his hand fell limply to the floor.

The female Uchiha sighed again.

Hopefully, the pink-haired genin wasn't on her period or something.

She was triply annoying during that time of the month.

**(Bridge Construction Site)**

The bridge was coming along slowly. Workers sometimes left because they were scared of what would happen if Gato were to discover them. Others left because of concerns about their families. And others still left because they valued their own lives more than the lives of everyone else in Nami.

"Tazuna, we can't work on the bridge anymore."

This was the last group of workers. It was a handful of men, each slightly emaciated. They had stopped their work.

"We're starving Tazuna! I haven't had anything to eat for days now!"

If they left, all work on the bridge would cease. Tazuna wasn't so much a working man, as the one who drew up the blueprint. His own father before him was an architect, and responsible for a majority of the buildings in Nami. His own house had been built from the ground up by his father. He had designed it in mind for his small family, consisting of his mother, father, and himself.

"I'm sorry Tazuna. I can barely even walk on my own strength now."

When Tazuna married his wife, his father had designed the little temple where the ceremony had taken place. Tazuna's father passed shortly after Tsunami's fifth birthday. His beloved daughter was so sad that day...

"I have a wife, and a newborn child back at my home Tazuna. I need to be there for them."

Tazuna swore from that day forward that he would build something to make his father's work pale in comparison. A bridge, extending all the way to the Land of Fire. Work had just begun on the bridge when Gato slithered into Nami.

"You're crazy old man! I'm going to try and leave this damn place! Better than living under that fucker Gato!"

Gato had crushed all opposition. His daughter's second husband, a much better man than the son of a bitch who knocked her up and left without even saying a word, had been executed in the town square by Gato. That bastard had Kaiza's arms torn from his body by two horses. He could still vividly remember the screams his step-son had made. The blood that jetted out from the remains of his shoulders.

When Kaiza finally died, Gato's men desecrated the corpse, poking at the body with spears and swords, some even went so far as to piss on Kaiza's carcass.

"There you are, you senile dolt! When I bring Gato your head, He'll pay me so much damn money, I'll be fucking swimming in it!"

Was this truly how it was going to end? With the bridge not even half-way complete? With a traitor about to kill him, and present his cooling corpse to Gato? He had long since fell onto his knees, no longer possessing the will to stand. The sharp blade of a katana pressed against the back of his neck, drawing a thin rivulet of blood.

Would this be how Tazuna would die? On his knees?

Yes.

Tazuna gave up.

He'd await his death.

Perhaps...He could find forgiveness in the afterlife.

"Hah! You're not even fighting! So much for your stupid bridge! Make sure to squeal for me!"

The tip of another katana pressed against his chest.

Tazuna closed his eyes.

And waited for oblivion.

"Huh? Hey, Waraji! Who the fuck is that guy in the hood?"

"I don't fucking know Zori! I have an idea though! Let's leave the old man, and go kill that hooded dumbass over there!"

Tazuna tentatively opened his eyes. The two who were about to kill him had turned their attention elsewhere. Tazuna followed their gaze, and felt his eyes widen.

It was the blonde kid in the hood. Naruto. What was he doing here?

"Wow. You two would bully an old man like Tazuna. If the rest of Gato's men are like you, I'll take my time with them."

The one with the eye-patch, Waraji, cackled sinisterly.

"Hah! This dipshit kid thinks he can kill us!"

The one with the purple beanie hat, Zori, laughed as well.

"Oh man! This brat makes me laugh!"

The two 'samurai' stopped laughing when Waraji's head was separated from his shoulders, a jet of blood erupting out of the severed head, and the stump where it was once was. Waraji's body twitched once, before falling forward.

Zori stared with mute horror at Waraji's decapitated head, which had rolled until it made contact with his ankle. Waraji's face stared up at him, face still twisted in laughter, even as his remaining eye clouded with death.

The remaining 'samurai' felt a hand wrap around his neck, and he was lifted off of his feet. Glowing red eyes, half-lidded with boredom, stared at his own eyes unblinkingly. Naruto lifted his other hand, and gripped tightly onto Zori's chest, his fingers digging into the flesh, and finding a grip onto his ribs.

Then he pulled. Zori gave a single cry of pain, before his head was ripped from his shoulders. Naruto held the headless body in his left hand, and a few spurts of blood spattered onto Zori's eyes.

The last thing Zori would ever see, would be those red eyes.

Then nothing.

Naruto gave a scoff as he tossed away the head. He drew no satisfaction from the kills themselves. He wondered if he ever would again. The two were under the employ of Gato, so at least he got to kill a pair of scumbags.

"Naruto..." Tazuna mumbled out. The hooded blonde looked to him, and crossed his arms.

"Hey, Tazuna. I'm assuming all the workers left?"

The old bridge-builder dumbly nodded. And Naruto sighed heavily.

"Course they did. Damn it. Now I have to do all the work." He walked over to where the stone slabs that would make up the bridge were. The slabs would make up the bridge in roughly 400 individual pieces. Each piece would be bonded to the other by a system of steel rods spanning through the entire bridge. And the bridge itself would be supported by 50 different support columns that had to be placed in the water before hand. It would take 20 days alone just to position the columns themselves, and another 50 to place the slabs on top. Add on another 60 days, and the steel rebar would be drilled into the slabs.

Within the span of merely two hours, Naruto had completed two-thirds of the bridge. Tendrils swarmed around from Naruto's back, the hooded blonde himself sitting down comfortably. The tendrils would wrap around the stone slabs, and lift them as though they were made of Styrofoam. The columns were placed in the water by larger and thicker tendrils that hauled the 25-foot long solid stone columns easily. The rebar was put in place after a few thin tendrils with strangely drill-shaped tips each made a series of holes in each slab.

At the rate he was going. The bridge could easily be completed today. Tazuna could only stare at the ridiculous sight with jaw hanging open loosely. He wasn't the only one, considering how a recovered Kakashi, along with Sakura and Saiyuri were all staring slack-jawed at the work Naruto was doing. It was a flurry of black tentacles, each moving in a rhythmic and almost robotic manner.

The drilling tendrils would make the holes for the rebar, where upon another group of tentacles would carry away the prepared slabs, and another group would grab a slab from the stockpile and place it in front of the drilling tendrils, and they would begin their work once more. The prepared slabs would have the rebar placed in by yet another group of tendrils, and the slab set down in a gap.

The columns meanwhile needed only one group of large tendrils to set them in place, and burrow them into the riverbed.

It was almost hypnotic. All of the tendrils were in constant motion, never stopping to rest or even adjusting for a mistake. Of course Kakashi thought it was a bit less than hypnotic.

'They're so...**many...**_**fucking...**__**tendrils...**__**' **_Kakashi had been repeating that phrase in his mind ever since he had got here an hour and a half ago. He was currently in the fetal position, and was lightly sucking on his right thumb. Granted, since he had a face mask, it wasn't too successful.

Sakura merely stared blankly at the hundreds upon hundreds of tendrils moving about all at once.

And Saiyuri?

She had taken a seat next to Naruto, to get a better view. She was about to ask him how he was doing this, but was interrupted when he spoke first.

"Kinda busy here. We can talk later Saiyuri." He said in a lightly annoyed tone. It seemed he was either eager to return to Konoha, or was upset that he had to do all the work himself. Saiyuri recalled Naruto mumbling to himself about sewers and cleaning.

Apparently, back when he first consumed, he had left a few ounces worth of viral biomass behind. Said viral biomass was washed away by street cleaners into the sewers. Naruto had told her it was likely where the Blacklight virus was harvested so Orochimaru could create Saya using it. Once he was done here, he'd have to enter the sewers and remove any trace of biomass there, in order to ensure that no-one else could get their hands on it.

It was something that embarrassed him slightly.

Saiyuri had offered to help him, but was shot down. The reason being that because she was still human, the biomass would likely attempt to consume her.

She swiftly agreed. Being torn apart and eaten while still alive didn't sound like a good way to kick the bucket.

But she did ask when Naruto would infect her.

He had sighed, and stated that if she wanted to, he would infect her once they returned to Konoha. This C-rank turned A-rank would mean that Team 7 would have a few weeks vacation time, enough for Naruto to help her get a grip on her new powers, as well as infect Mikoto if she desired it.

Needless to say, Naruto had a lot of work to do when he got back. He quickened the pace at which he constructed the bridge, the tendrils soon moving with such speed they were little more than black blurs.

And, almost like magic, the bridge was complete. All within just two hours and fifteen minutes. The bridge was a mile and a half long, something that presented no problem to Naruto, given that his tendrils could extend all the way to the mainland.

Naruto himself flopped onto his back once the last slab was put in place, and the single tendril raced back into him. He raised a fist in triumph.

"Hah! We can leave now right?" When Kakashi didn't respond, Naruto rolled onto his front and looked at where Kakashi was, and felt another drop of sweat trickle down the side of his head.

Kakashi had curled into a trembling ball, and he was fairly certain he was suckling his thumb like a baby. A few whimpers of fear would occasionally come from Kakashi's lips.

Naruto decided to ignore Kakashi. And Sakura, who wasn't doing much better. Saiyuri had joined Naruto, lying prone next to him. A smile was on her face.

"Well if being a ninja doesn't pan out you have a great future as a contractor."

Naruto chuckled lightly.

"Yeah I guess so."

An annoying shrill voice soon reached Naruto's ears.

"Hoh...It looks like the bridge is done...So quickly too. I think this will be a nice way to get more money..."

Naruto groaned and turned to the far side of the bridge. Gato was there, the midget surrounded by at least two hundred of his flunkies.

Saiyuri seemed to share the sentiment, considering the growl that tore itself from her throat.

"Damn it. We were having a little moment there too."

Naruto sat up.

"Yeah, I know. Hang on, I'll take care of this." He stood fully, and glared at Gato and his men. He shouted out across the bridge.

"Hey, short stuff! Where's Zabuza?"

Gato growled, his grip on his cane tightening.

"Don't call me short you fucking brat!" He spat out, his sunglasses nearly falling off of his nose. He brought a hand up to his glasses, and adjusted them, in an effort to calm himself.

"And I don't see why I should tell you where that waste of money is. After all, My boys here are going to kill you all." At this he gained a greedy smirk. "We'll spare the girls though. I know a few trades in which they would serve very well..." He chuckled, glasses glinting.

_'Uh oh.'_

_**'Did that little shit really just say that?'**_

**'Knowing Naruto, he's probably going to tear Gato limb from limb now.'**

_'Yep. Got any popcorn?'_

Naruto didn't hear the conversation in his head. His hooded head dropped until his face was entirely concealed by his hood. He remained still for a few moments.

Gato, the poor fool, thought that Naruto was giving up.

"Hey! I'll tell you what brat! Give me all of your money, and maybe I'll let you fuck the one with black hair one time!"

And that sealed Gato's fate.

Naruto's arms rippled until they were replaced by his Claws. His clothing vanished, and his skin hardening until it was a black, chitinous Armor. And Naruto grew in size. **Significantly.**

Kakashi, having been torn out of his trance at the sound of Gato's voice, leapt to his feet, a pair of kunai in each hand. Said kunai were promptly dropped when he saw what Naruto had become.

An impossibly tall thing, easily eleven feet tall, coated in entirely black organic Armor, that looked disturbingly like the chitin of an insect's exoskeleton. His Claws had grown in unison with his stature, the metallic digits easily as long as Kakashi was tall. Kakashi couldn't see his face, but then Naruto turned his head towards Kakashi, and the former Anbu was incapable of keeping the gasp of shock in his throat.

Naruto's face was no more. Instead, where his features would have been was a smooth and entirely featureless covering of the Armor.

Then Naruto's once featureless cracked where his mouth would have been. What looked like the tips of needle-like fangs were barely visible within. The crack widened until it was large enough to fit a man's head in. Row upon row of fangs lined Naruto's maw, with saliva dripping off the teeth. A thin, red tongue snaked out, as Naruto threw his head back, unleashing a roar that had enough power behind it to form a small crater underneath him.

And much to Kakashi's horror, he felt some of the Kyuubi's chakra, it's dark and malevolent aura falling around the bridge. Naruto's Armored form was wreathed in red chakra, and Kakashi could see multiple pairs of red dots begin glowing underneath the Armor of Naruto's face. The Armor retracted, revealing innumerable pairs of glowing red eyes. Naruto's Claws were changed as well. The blades becoming entirely serrated.

Naruto gazed at Kakashi, and all the eyes narrowed slightly. He turned to Saiyuri, and his eyes changed from their menacing red, to their normal blue-silver. He stepped forward to Saiyuri, each footfall creating a loud thud. Saiyuri looked up at him in wonder and amazement.

"Naruto..." She breathed out his name.

Naruto gently caressed Saiyuri's cheek with the blunt side of one of his Claws.

"**He threatened you." **His voice had dropped numerous octaves, but lacked the other voices that once followed his own in this form. He was the only one in control now.

He took his Claw off of her cheek, and turned back towards Gato, all of his eyes blazing crimson.

"**No one threatens the people I love."**

He stalked forward, towards Gato. The midget was frozen in fear, as were all of his goons.

"**Those who dare..."**

Naruto dragged the tips of his Claws against the stone of the bridge below, sending countless sparks into the air.

"**I'LL DESTROY!"**

He dashed forward, felling twenty men with just one swipe. They were all sliced in half, spilling copious amounts of blood onto the bridge. He formed his Whipfist on his right arm, and sent it sweeping across the bridge, decimating over fifty. He thrust his remaining Claw into the ground, sending an enormous Groundspike directly into the center of Gato's group of henchmen, impaling another seventy five.

"**I'LL TEAR!"**

He retracted the Groundspike, and his arms took a much more human form. As human as you could look with Musclemass. A single jab to the nearest thug reduced him to mere red paste and bone meal. Naruto pulled back his arms, and sent them forward with all the speed and force of a runaway train. An immense blast of air pressure, created solely by the inhuman strength of Naruto, liquified the remaining fifty five mercenaries.

The bridge was awash in blood, viscera, and death. The waters below were stained red with the sheer amount of blood that overflowed from the bridge.

And all that was left was Gato...

The little businessman had fallen over, his trousers soiled with feces, and urine. Tears of fear streamed from behind his glasses.

Naruto tilted his Armored head, as though he was debating over what way to kill Gato.

The corrupt shipping magnate scrambled to his feet and tried to run away. **Tried.**

His legs were freed from the rest of his body, and he fell forward. He looked back, and released a cry of utter agony and terror upon seeing his legs were gone. There were just two stumps now, and white bone sticking out, clear as day. Then a Clawed hand wrapped around his skull.

"**And I'll eat them alive. Before I even think of letting the people I care about get hurt."**

Gato's world spun wildly, and once he could see clearly, the only thing that filled his vision...Was the inside of Naruto's maw, and the last thing he felt, the fangs clamping down on his neck.

* * *

**YAY! CHAPTER TWENTY! GATO DIES A HORRIBLE, HORRIBLE DEATH! WHOOOO!**

**Make sure to review!**


	21. Chapter 21

_Chapter 21_

_A Demon's destruction..._

"_A loving person lives in a loving world. A hostile person lives in a hostile world..." -Ken Keyes Jr._

* * *

Naruto picked at his fangs with a Claw. He was still in his Armored form, and was walking back to where Team 7 and Tazuna were. He dug deeply at the back of his maw, and pulled out a fragment of bone that had been annoying him for some time now. A now eyeless face stared at the only thing that remained of Gato. It was a part of his lower jaw, with just 6 teeth left. Naruto gazed at the bone for a few moments, before tossing it away, the small piece of bone creating a splash of blood as it fell onto the bridge.

He had since stopped using Kyara's chakra, graciously given to him by the vixen, and he could distinctly remember every kill he made. Normally, he'd black out for a few moments, and awake in a small lake's worth of blood.

An odd thing happened however.

Naruto didn't feel anything when he killed all of those men. No glee, or satisfaction. There was nothing. It was debatable what that meant for Naruto. Killing those men was just so he could get to Gato. They simply had the misfortune of getting in his way.

_'Well now. That was entertaining.'_

Naruto sighed internally as he heard Kushina's voice.

'Course you would find it entertaining.'

_'What? Do you have any idea how boring it can get in your head? Heavy petting can only satiate for so long you know._

'Uh-huh.'

_'It's a little bit better when Ana-chan puts her...'_

'Closing link.'

Ignoring the cry from Kushina, Naruto turned his attention to Kakashi.

Kakashi had been staring slack-jawed at Naruto for some time now. He didn't react when Naruto stomped up in front of him, but did when Naruto smacked him over the back of the head with his palm.

"**Quit gawking and tell everyone at Nami that Gato's dead." **He stomped away, and Kakashi could faintly hear him grumble under his breath. **"Now to find Zabuza..." **

What looked almost like sleek, black wings sprouted out of his back, but they looked like nothing Kakashi had ever seen before. Two pods on each wing, with a fleshy nozzle at the end, with a corresponding circular opening that closed and shut somehow. The opening flared, and a faint whine was heard as blue jets of flame shot out of the nozzles. Naruto leaped upward, and in the blink of an eye, blasted away, creating an intense boom. Kakashi stumbled backward from the high-speed winds whipped up by the wings. But he wasn't too interested in Naruto's sudden flight.

'What...the...hell...just...happened...?' Kakashi thought. The sight of Naruto quite literally, **_EATING _**Gato, **ALIVE **was a memory that would never leave him. What had happened here needed to be brought up to the Hokage. Naruto was clearly unstable.

And there was also the matter of how Naruto's shape shifting abilities were much more powerful than Kakashi had originally estimated. Considering, Naruto's personality, and his distaste for the general population of Konoha, he'd have to be deemed a flight risk at best.

But Kakashi didn't want to do any of those. Naruto was his sensei's son, the Yondaime's sole heir. If Kakashi informed the Hokage of Naruto's mental problems, as well as how truly powerful he could be with his shape-shifting, Kakashi feared that Naruto would further ostracized, not as the Kyuubi's Jinchuuriki, but as something entirely inhuman.

'Minato-sensei...what should I do?' Kakashi thought forlornly.

Meanwhile, Saiyuri looked at Naruto with an amazed expression. How powerful was he? He destroyed that small army as though he was just swatting away flies. And the way he killed Gato...

A smile grew on her face. She didn't care much for the people of Nami, why would she? But Gato seemed a man who would do anything for profit. Not to mention how that little fucker threatened to sell her as a sex-slave. Her Sharingan activated in her anger, as a growl tore itself from her throat. She would **NEVER **see another man in the same light as Naruto.

Admittedly, she was slightly disappointed that she didn't have any part in Gato's demise. But the sight of Gato being torn apart and actually eaten by Naruto was enough. Her smile returned, and she walked away towards Tazuna's house, humming a jolly tune all the while.

Now, what was Saya doing?

**(Gato's Mansion, limits of Nami)**

The green-haired girl was skipping along the stone path to Gato's extravagant mansion. There were numerous windows dotting the walls, and the mansion itself was rather large, occupying a total area of 43,561 square feet. Red terracotta shingles made up the roof, and a few chimneys were coughing out thick clouds of black smoke. The brick walls were painted a pleasant cream, and decorative balconies occupied a majority of the windows. The entrance itself had a smaller roof over it, and the mahogany door was lavishly carved with beautiful designs of trees and mountains in the distance.

Saya hummed quietly to herself, as she skipped up to the door itself. Her Onii-sama had told her to hide, but there weren't any good hiding spots back at the little house. She decided to wander around in the small forests surrounding Nami when she came across this weird stone pathway. Shrugging, she followed it, and was amazed at the sight of the huge mansion. It was just so big! She wondered who lived here.

She knocked once on the door, and waited for a few moments.

No answer.

She pouted slightly, and decided to try the door knob. Fortunately, it seemed the door was unlocked, and with a quiet click, it swung open. Saya walked in and was unable to keep the gasp in her throat.

The interior was grand, with opulent paintings on the walls. There were a few expensive-looking vases on podiums dotted around the room. And there were a few animal rugs on the floor, tigers, bears, and even a mountain lion. She would have looked around more, but her attention was drawn to a bust on another podium.

The stone features were of a square-faced man, with spiky hair, two small strands of hair that looked kind of like a mustache, and small glasses on his face. There was also a smirk on his face, but Saya didn't think it was because the man was happy. She brushed her fingers lightly against the nose, and much to her surprise, it was pushed in slightly. Tilting her head in curiosity, she pushed the hidden button, and the wall just behind the bust slid open, revealing a murky, and damp corridor. It smelled faintly of mildew and sea water.

The desire to explore overtaking her, she went down the hidden passage, and after a few minutes of walking, she found herself in a little cave with a few iron cages around, with what looked like very hungry people in them. Some were women, others men, and there were a few children as well. They were all pale, and Saya could see their ribs clearly through their skin. One woman, who may have once been blonde, and had her own cage, stood and looked to Saya, eyes widening, she managed to whisper out a single word, dry lips cracking slightly.

"L-Look..."

Everyone snapped out their individual trances to look at the new arrival.

"Hey...shouldn't one of Gato's men be escorting her?"

"Gato left a while ago...said something about killing that old guy, Tazuna..."

"Who is that girl, Mommy?"

All of Gato's prisoners asked questions. Saya, feeling a little nervous, waved in greeting.

"U-Um...Hi..."

The woman who had spoken first calmed everyone down with a gesture. She turned to Saya again, a smile growing on her weathered face.

"Little one, can you help us open these cages? The keys are on the wooden table there."

Saya nodded, and she walked over to the slightly rotten table, grabbing a rusty key-ring with four different keys on it, each pertaining to a cage. She walked over, keys in hand, she fumbled around with the keys a little, before finding the correct one. She unlocked the gate, and pulled the door open. The woman's smile turned into an ecstatic grin, and she walked out, stretching her sore, bony limbs.

"Thank you so much..."

Saya nodded again, and responded with a kind smile.

"You're welcome! Now that you're out of the cage, can I play with you?" She pouted slightly. "I'm so bored!"

The emaciated woman, chuckled raspily.

"Yes, I suppose I can..." She suddenly found herself incapable of speech as Saya thrust her tiny hand directly into her chest. Saya was smiling innocently, and chirped out happily.

"Yay! I hope I can play with you for a long time!"

The woman gave one last feeble gasp, before falling to the ground, her heart in Saya's right hand. The green-haired girl was ignorant of the cries of horror the other prisoners gave, and kneeled down to the fresh corpse, peeling the skin of it's abdomen apart, revealing the intestines. Saya grabbed the small intestines, and pulled them out with a squelch. Giving a childish giggle, she wrapped the pink fleshy tube around her neck.

"Thanks for the new toy! I wonder how it tastes?" She took a curious bite out of the pink viscera. She gave a pleasant sigh as she chewed the slightly sweet meat. She swallowed, and growing quickly bored of her toy, she shrugged it off of her shoulders, the guts making a slapping noise against the stone floor of the little cavern.

She turned to the other prisoners, blood stains around her mouth, and she gave a happy smile, the once white teeth, now tarnished with crimson fluid.

"Anyone else want to play with me?" She tilted her head to side innocently.

The cries of terror that were her answer were heard by none. The giggles of a young girl were never known.

**(Back with Saiyuri)**

She was probably having fun. Saiyuri saw no reason to be too concerned. After all, Naruto said the girl seemed innocent.

How could he be wrong?

**(Zabuza's hide out, just outside of Nami)**

Naruto alighted upon the grass outside of the little round hut that Zabuza was sheltering in. From Gato's memories, Naruto learned that Gato had lost all patience with the Kiri swordsman, and after a failed attempt to kill him, foiled by Haku, Gato, licking his wounds, gathered all his men, and marched to the bridge, intending on killing Tazuna, and Team 7.

The outcome was to be expected.

But Zabuza was still alive. Naruto wasn't certain if he was still planning on killing Tazuna, but it was likely, especially since Gato's death was recent, and he likely didn't know just yet.

If Zabuza were to attack the bridge now, Saiyuri would be in danger.

He couldn't afford that.

He needed to ensure that Zabuza either fled, or that he died this day.

His Claws appeared in a flurry of tendrils, and he kicked the door into a shower of splinters. The false hunter nin was just behind the door, seemingly preparing to leave the hut to acquire more medicinal herbs for Zabuza.

She was sent flying back with a scream, and impacted just above where Zabuza was lying in bed. The young girl collapsed to the floor a few feet away from Zabuza's bed. Said missing-nin's eyes widened at Naruto's sudden appearance, and he reached for a kunai on the night-stand next to him with his good arm. He didn't even get close. Naruto crushed Zabuza's wrist with his Clawed left hand, and the crunch of bone resounded through out the hut. Zabuza uttered a single cry of pain, before Naruto's right Clawed hand wrapped around his skull.

Zabuza was lifted off of the bed, and summarily tossed through the hut's thin wooden walls. He tumbled for a few moments, occasionally loosing a grunt or short yell of agony as his healing clavicle nearly snapped again. Naruto stared at his limp form outside for a few moments, before reaching for the Kubikiribocho, which was propped up against a nearby wall.

A senbon made of ice pierced into his neck, and he pulled it out with an irritated growl. He glared towards Haku, who had managed to get back up, with an enraged expression on her face.

"Don't you dare hurt Zabuza-sam...!" She was cut off when Naruto gave a wicked right straight directly into her face. Her nose shattered like glass, and she was once more sent soaring through the air, and plowed through another wall of the hut.

Naruto snarled for a moment, before grabbing onto the Kubikiribocho's grip with his right hand. Zanbatou in hand, he stalked towards Zabuza.

The missing-nin was trying to crawl away, not out of fear, but in an effort to hide so he could recover, and counter-attack. But he was stopped when Naruto's left boot slammed down onto his shoulder. Pinned, Zabuza, in desperation, sunk his sharpened teeth into Naruto's leg. The hooded blonde didn't even so much as blink, and after lifting his right leg, putting all of Naruto's easily half a ton weight directly onto Zabuza's collar bone, kicked Zabuza across the face.

The missing-nin's head whipped back, and Naruto thrust his Claws forward, forming a cage around Zabuza's head, the organic steel burying several feet into the dirt.

"Are you going to leave, or do I need to kill you?" Naruto's voice droned out, in an eerily flat tone.

Zabuza snarled underneath the bandages that covered his mouth. Damn it! This blonde kid had already manhandled him once before! How the hell did he even know where his hideout was anyway?!

"Fuck you!" He spat out. This hooded brat wouldn't get the satisfaction of hearing him squeal!

Naruto was about to respond, but was interrupted when a large spike of ice impaled him. He gave a light grunt, and turned blazing red eyes to Haku, her once delicate face scattered with swollen bruises and a bloodied nose. She had her left hand in a one-handed seal, and she stared with a mixture of horror and intense satisfaction at the hooded blonde. Naruto pulled the Claws out of the ground, not needing to worry too much about Zabuza, he wasn't in any condition to fight. Then Naruto did the impossible.

He walked to the side, the spear of ice cracking with every inch, until it snapped off. Naruto stumbled for a moment, unbalanced by the over-sized icicle stuck in his chest. He gripped it with his Clawed hand, and pulled it out of his body. For a brief moment, Haku could see directly through the large hole in Naruto. There weren't any internal organs visible, or even blood. The hole knit itself shut with a few tendrils, and less than two seconds later, Naruto was pristine again. His hoodie hadn't even lost an inch of fabric.

"W-Wha...?" Was all that Haku could say at the sight. How had he survived? Her Certain-Kill Ice Spears weren't named as such because someone could survive them. She snapped out of her shock, and sent a flurry of ice senbon at Naruto, who merely swatted them away. Then he vanished in a blur of speed.

Haku wildly whirled around. This..._**monster**_she was fighting didn't have a chakra signature, so it would be impossible to locate it using sensor techniques. She carefully analyzed the forest around, but found no trace of the hooded blonde. Of course, that didn't mean he couldn't see her...

Haku gave a cry of pain as she felt a single Claw pierce through her chest. She looked down, seeing the metallic digit dripping with blood.

_Her blood._

The Claw was slowly pulled out, sending jolts of agony up and down Haku's body. But she couldn't scream anymore. One of her lungs had been punctured, and she could scarcely draw in a breath anymore. Once the Claw was removed from her, she fell forward onto her knees. A boot was placed against her back, and she was shoved onto the grass.

Naruto gazed down at Haku's fallen form for a moment, before returning to Zabuza. The missing-nin had managed to get to his feet, but it looked as though a stiff breeze could knock him over. He struggled to remain still on his feet, and he was gripping a simple kunai in his hand. He slashed once at Naruto, and was rewarded for his persistence with a head-butt that sent him sprawling back, the kunai having been let go as a result of the blow.

The hooded blonde took a single long step forward, and with a single slash of his Claws, Zabuza's stomach was sliced open, viscera and a large quantity of blood spilling out onto the grass. He collapsed onto his knees, and did his best to try and return the intestines to their place inside him. He eventually gave up, feeling himself start to grow cold. Zabuza's vision blurred, and he whispered out one last time.

"Heh...to think...I'd die at the hands of...a damn genin of...all things..."

The last thing Zabuza saw would be the Kubikiribocho's edge, screaming for his neck.

* * *

**Uh-oh! Looks like things might go badly when Team 7 goes back to Konoha! And Saya's true nature is revealed! Is she a monster, or simply innocently cruel? And Haku suffers a mortal wound! Zabuza dies! Make sure to review!**


	22. Chapter 22

_Chapter 22_

_The first Evolved, and dark tidings..._

"_Those who will not reason, are bigots. Those who cannot, are fools. Those who will not, are slaves..." -George Gordon Byron_

* * *

Naruto caught Zabuza's severed visage in his free Clawed hand. There was a few jets of blood gushing out of the carotid arteries, and Zabuza's brain seemed to be still active for a few scant seconds. The head blinking a few times before stilling entirely. The hooded blonde shifted his index Claw to a thin tendril, and pierced into the skull, consuming it from the inside out.

He gripped at his forehead, momentarily hissing in pain. Memories overcame him...

_**Mizukage-sama...**_

_**What is it, Zabuza?**_

_**Why are you doing this? Why eliminate the kekkai genkai wielders?**_

_**Are you really questioning my authority, Zabuza? You know the consequences of such an act...**_

_**I must know, why? Those clans, the Kaguya, The Yuki, all of them, they gave the village power! Why would you weaken Kiri so?**_

_**The kekkai genkai wielders are all monsters Zabuza. Do you not remember the Kaguya Uprising? How many shinobi they killed? They would have taken over the village. The Kaguya were all blood-thirsty warriors, and when peace came, they grew bored, and decided to attack us.**_

_**That's just one clan. What of the Yuki?**_

_**Are you going soft, Zabuza? The Yuki assisted the Kaguya as well. **_

_**Some of them. Not the entire clan.**_

_**Enough! I have heard you speak for far too long. I deem you a traitor. **_

_**What?!**_

_**Anbu! Eliminate the traitor!**_

Naruto momentarily growled in discomfort. Consuming an experienced shinobi like Zabuza meant that more..._sensitive _secrets about their respective village. Kiri, for example was currently embroiled in a civil war, fought between the rebels, who either possessed kekkai genkai, or sympathized with them, and the loyalists, who were either just following orders, or held some grudge against those who wielded kekkai genkai. The current leader of the rebellion was one Mei Terumi, who Zabuza had a brief fling with, and she possessed two powerful kekkai genkai, Lava Release, and Boil Release. The former being self-explanatory and the latter utilizing an extremely corrosive acid, usually released as a cloud of corrosive vapor.

The civil war was the perfect environment to both obtain the DNA from kekkai genkai wielders and, if possible, consume Yagura. He was the incumbent Mizukage, and also a **Jinchuuriki. **Specifically, the Sanbi. Naruto was positive it would be impossible to consume the Sanbi, as the Bijuu weren't physical entities. They were sentient masses of chakra dense enough to mimic matter. Of course, there was one thing that most people didn't know about the Bijuu. That they were **sentient. **Not truly 'alive', but they were capable of thinking for themselves.

The Bijuu, and their Jinchuurikis were used as 'war deterrents'. Considering how there has since been three instances of a Shinobi World War, that system was clearly flawed.

'Kyara, would it be possible for a second Bijuu to reside within me?'

**'If you were still human, you'd explode from the sheer quantity of chakra.'**

'Good thing I'm not human then.'

**'To be honest, I'm not certain. You're unique. Maybe you could handle it. Where are you going with this?'**

'When I leave this world behind somewhere in the future, I could bring the Bijuu with me. Find a planet where we all belong. Away from humans. We'd be free.'

**'Why would you do that though? The rest of the Bijuu don't mean anything to you.'**

'They mean something to you.'

**'What? No, they don't. When I tried to tell them that humanity would try and seal us away like the old man sealed the Juubi inside himself, they didn't listen. They called me paranoid.'**

'I'm fairly certain you still care about them.'

**'I won't repeat myself again. They can all go fuck themselves. They didn't listen to me, and look where it got us. At least I got the luck of being sealed in you.'**

'Alright. If you say so. I'll just kill Yagura, and let the Sanbi fade away, and once it's done that, I'll consume him.'

**'Okay. You certain you can handle yourself in a war? There's going to be a lot ninjas involved.'**

'I'll just kill them like I have for so many others.'

**'You still haven't come across really powerful ninjas. Yagura's a Kage. He didn't get the position because he sat on his ass all day.'**

'I know. And it'll all the more rewarding when I manage to consume him. Maybe even get an ally in the next Mizukage.'

**'Yeah, that seems good. What are you going to do with that girl, Haku?'**

Naruto turned, and looked down at Haku. She was breathing faintly, and a pool of blood was growing underneath her. She wouldn't last much longer.

'I'm going to test something out. Anastasia?'

_**'Yeah?'**_

'I'm going to infect Haku. Mind walking me through so I don't turn her into a zombie or something like that?'

_**'Okay. This is the first human you're going to infect, and humans are a lot different from the animals you've infected before. If you want to keep Haku as herself, you'll need to preserve the brain entirely, and have the virus reconstruct it. Haku's soul will remain in her transformed body, and presto. You have an infected human.'**_

'Will there be any marked changes in her personality?'

_**'Like the Brawlers, Hydras, Infected plants, and all the rest, she can't say no to you. She'll consider you her superior, and act accordingly. Any orders you give her, she'll follow them, and she can't refuse it.'**_

'So, she's basically going to be my slave?' He wasn't a fan of slavery in any respect.

_**'That's only if you choose to make her so. Other than that, she's a soldier. And she'll still be able to think for herself if you aren't there, but she can't try and betray you, she simply won't be allowed to have those thoughts. And like the other Infected, you can send orders to her telepathically.'**_

'Okay...Here goes nothing...'

Naruto walked forward, and kneeled over the dying Haku. She was beginning to gasp erratically, and was coughing up a large amount of blood. If she were to survive this, he had infect her now. He leaned down, and began whispering into her ear.

"You're dying. If you want to live, all you need to do, is blink two times. If you'd rather die, do nothing."

The dying girl gave a near-silent whimper, before she blinked.

Once.

Twice.

Naruto nodded to himself, and whispered into her ear one last time.

"Very well."

He stabbed Kubikiribocho into the ground, and carefully inserted his Claw into the wound on her back.

She gave a quiet cry of agony, as she felt molten lava flow into her body. Haku felt her body break down, and soon enough, she was rendered completely silent as her lungs vanished. Then a voice, deep, smooth, and above all else, authoritative.

"**You chose to live. You consider yourself a tool. And now that your previous wielder has perished, you now change hands to me. You will follow my every order to the letter. You will never say no to me. You could have chosen death, and go to the afterlife, a free spirit. Instead, you chose to remain alive. But you have no more liberty than you had with Zabuza."**

Then pure pain flooded her. Her body, her mind, and her soul, all resonated in her agony.

"_**You're mine now."**_

Darkness overcame her. She could faintly feel herself being hefted up, and the sensation of being moved, before she completely lost consciousness.

**(Some time later...)**

When Haku awoke, it was to the cacophony of sound, sights, and every other sense she had, all enhanced to levels she was incapable of handling. She gave a short scream as everything piled on top of her, and fell off the soft bed she had been lying in.

A rigid, merciless, stone floor greeted her.

It was too bright! Too loud! She could feel the stone she collapsed onto much more finely than she ever could before. And it all hurt so much!

A frigid hand pressed against her forehead, and the pain vanished. She gave a few gasps, and occasionally a whimper, before she felt herself lifted back onto the bed. Then the voice she had heard before, the same one that spoke to her in her dying breaths, was there.

"You alright? Your senses have all been enhanced to super-human levels, so you'll need to get used to it."

Haku felt her head go back to the pillow, and the voice spoke once more. She felt the mattress compress somewhat, the person speaking had likely sat down next to her.

"I was concerned you wouldn't wake up. Or that, if you did, you wouldn't have been yourself."

What? What had happened to her? She managed to summon the strength to speak up.

"W-Where...am...I?" She scarcely managed to get the words past her lips. There was still so much...pain...

"Safe. With me. I pulled you from Death's door."

Who did this voice belong to? Why did she feel so..._secure?_

"Who a-are you?" Her throat was hurting less now, and she could speak more clearly.

"I suppose...your master."

Master? Was it...No.

What was she thinking? She never had a previous master. Her only master was Naruto-sama. He had saved her.

"Naruto-sama..."

She breathed out the name.

Yes...she was safe. She was home.

With her precious...

_**Naruto-sama...**_

**(Naruto's POV)**

Haku whispered out his name, and returned to sleep. A peaceful smile on her face.

It was done. She had been infected, and still retained her soul. Haku was his now. His very first _**Evolved.**_

It was the term he had coined for any future humans he infected. Haku was unique, in that, with her philosophy of her being only a tool to be used, she was now completely and entirely loyal to him.

He sincerely hoped that Saiyuri or Mikoto didn't turn out like her. They were his loved ones. And he was theirs as well. He wasn't their master, and would never claim to be.

_**'It worked!'**_

'Glad to see you so happy.'

_**'Naruto, don't you get it?! By getting Evolved spies in every village, no one can ever plot behind your back! Who knows, maybe you could even make this world truly peaceful!'**_

'By ruling over it with an iron fist?'

_**'What? No! Every thought could be shared! Any hostility would be nullified completely! War would end entirely, and you can get the world you truly belong in. Why aren't you happy?'**_

'That's not what **I**want. It's what the **virus **wants. You're letting it take over your thoughts now.'

_**'No it isn't! That...That can't be true!' **_She chuckled, not because what Naruto said was funny, but more in an attempt to calm herself. **_'I-It can't be true...'_**

'Ana-chan, go and relax for a moment. Get yourself under control. I was fearing this would happen.'

_**'N-No, it's okay...I'm fine! Really!'**_

'No, you're not. Go.'

She stammered for a few moments, before she reluctantly agreed.

The hooded blonde brought a trembling hand to his face.

He had managed to get control of himself. Now, Anastasia needed to. He'd be there to help her. He needed to.

_'U-Um...'_

Great. Now Kushina was worried. He needed to calm her down as quickly as he could.

'No, you don't need to worry. You won't get the urges I did. No matter how many you consume.'

_'You're sure?'_

'Yes. Go and help Ana-chan. She could use your help.' He felt Kushina nod, and her presence vanished from the link.

'Kyara, you have anything to say?'

She likely did. He would have to defer to her now, she was older than him after all. He could use the experience gained over her thousand year lifetime here.

**'Not really. I don't know what to say here.'**

Shit.

'What should I do? I have no idea of where to go from here.'

**'I have no idea, either. But I'm confident you can see us through. You always do...'**

Naruto dragged his hand down his face.

Shit.

He leaped up to his feet with a snarl.

Shit!

He stormed out of the small cave.

SHIT!

A fist impacted against the stone that made up the outside of the cave, sending cracks spiderwebbing in all directions.

**SHIT!**

Turning away from the damaged stone, his next target an immense tree. The trunk easily surpassing over thirty feet around. It towered into the sky, a good hundred feet. All of that meant nothing for the enraged whiskered blonde, who lashed out with a roundhouse kick, slicing through the ancient tree as though it was butter. Snapping timber resounded through-out the small forest, scattering the thousands of birds who were nesting in the other trees. The felled tree tipped over, and screamed towards the ground, knocking over numerous other smaller trees in it's path. It impacted the ground with an intensely loud thud, kicking up a huge cloud of dust and dirt.

_**SHIT!**_

The fallen tree did nothing to quell his rage, and he took it out on the ground underneath him instead. He pounded his fists against it, creating cracks and craters all around. The soil destabilized, and collapsed in on itself.

He could feel himself starting to lose it...

_**YeS...dEstRoY...EveRyThiNG...**_

No! Never again! He beat back the virus' attempt to rile him, to try and make him kill.

'NO!'

_**My...mY...YoU'Re rEsisTinG...**_

'Of course I am! I won't be controlled by you!'

_**i'M NoT tRyinG tO HuRt YoU...I onLy waNt to heLp...**_

'I don't need your help!'

_**YoU sAy tHaT nOw...ReMeMbeR...**_

A vice suddenly pressed onto his skull. He gripped his head, and began screaming in agony.

_**I wAs HeRe, WhEn yOu FiRsT kILLeD...**_

He collapsed forward, forehead kissing the dirt. A few growls of pain, and defiance tore themselves from Naruto's throat.

_**WheN YoU fiRSt cOnsUmeD...**_

Naruto growled more, feeling the pain begin to fade.

_**I'll NeVeR lEaVe YoU...**_

The pain vanished, and Naruto managed to get back on his feet.

_**AnD I'lL AlWaYs be here...**_

The virus' voice suddenly became more...feminine?

_**When you're all alone...Mother will always be here...**_

What? Mother? It couldn't be...

Elizabeth Greene...lived.

* * *

**Ruh-roh! It looks like Naruto has a lot on his plate! Make sure to review!**


	23. Chapter 23

_Chapter 22_

_Out with the old..._

"_Revenge may be wicked, but it's natural..." -William Makepeace Thackeray_

* * *

Greene laughed as Naruto took a step back in bewilderment.

What the fuck?! How in the hell was Greene still fucking alive!? She was consumed!

_**Oh please. Did you honestly think I would have been killed by that? A fraction of my will survived. And was passed on...to you. My darling Naruto.**_

'Shut the fuck up! It's you, isn't it?! You were trying to make me your proxy, so you could infect everyone in the world!'

_**Not quite. Do you have any idea of just how much rage, hate, and insanity is in you? All I did was weaken the dam, and watch the flood. Hell, it makes me look like a little puppy in comparison.**_

'I said shut up!'

_**See? Even now, you're practically foaming at the mouth to try and kill me. And that's perfectly fine. The way you've lived, you're perfectly justified in ending everything. **_

Naruto growled deeply, before bracing himself against a surviving tree, managing to cool his rage.

'Don't you dare talk about how I lived. You weren't there.'

_**Maybe not. But I still saw everything. Your first kill and consumption, and how the pile of bodies in your wake kept growing and growing. I even took a gander in your soul. I shrinked away at the sight. And for me, who nearly turned New York City from concrete, steel, and glass, to a city of flesh and bone, that's saying something.**_

He could feel her start to smirk.

_**Then one of my most powerful children ends up eating me. Oh well, that's life.**_

Her smirk became completely insane then.

_**And now, I'm here. Such a wonderful place! This 'Chakra' is something incredibly powerful. Shame its in the hands of those hairless apes though. But you can fix that, right?**_

'Really? You honestly think I'm gonna just go ahead, and destroy the world? Fuck this place. It's already dying. All I'd be doing is putting the last nails in the coffin.'

_**Exactly. And when humanity is dead and buried, this can be our world. We can rule together, as mother and son...**_

'You're not my mother, you fucking bitch.'

_**Hmph. Language. I might not be your birth mother, but the Blacklight virus was created using me. Do you know what those bastards at Gentek and Blackwatch did to me?**_

Her voice trembled with fury.

_**They cut me open. Stuck tubes in me. Experimented with me. They even took my son away from me. I never even got the chance to hold him. Kinda like how Kushina died before she could really take care of you.**_

She gained a respectful tone then.

_**I like her. She's a lot like me, you know. We both had our sons taken away from us, by utter bastards who deserve nothing less than eternal suffering. We both hate said bastards entirely. And we're both red-heads. **_

'You two share nothing in common. She's nothing like you.'

_**Oh? You so sure? Do you want to know what she really spent those sixteen years doing? She went out, and killed anyone who even thought of trying to hurt you. I'll admit, she did a much better job at being a mother than I ever did.**_

'Why'd you tell me that for? I'm not going to think less of Kushina because of the lives she took. If anything, I'll thank her for it.'

_**And there it is again. That delicious rage. That desire to see all of Konoha dead. Here...let me show you...**_

The world around him bled away, and Naruto tensed, Claws coming into existence. For a moment, he was surrounded by complete and total darkness.

Then a faint light. It grew brighter, gaining a red-orange tint. It flickered momentarily, before other lights began shining around it. Soon enough, the darkness was gone, replaced by the image of Konoha in flames. The Hokage Tower was split in half, each piece having been ignited. The Hokage Monument in the distance wasn't spared either. The faces were all ruined, Hashirama's having literally fallen off the mountain, Tobirama's little more than a crater in the side of the mountain, while Hiruzen's was damaged severely, the nose having snapped off, and the lower jaw cracked beyond recognition.

Minato's was the worst. Immense tendrils had burst through every orifice, the eyes, nose, and mouth. The rest of the face was covered in a red fleshy blanket, that pulsated and spewed out what appeared to be people in a spray of crimson from glowing pods, but on closer inspection, their inhumanity was revealed.

They all had bulbous tumors growing on their bodies, and walked jerkily, looking barely even capable of locomotion. Some had their arms turned into pale reflections of his Blade, or Claws. Others still, had huge throbbing boils over them, that occasionally leaked a brownish-red liquid. Above all else, they were killers.

Naruto watched on as a pack of them near him, gnawed and tore at a fallen jonin's body. Strips of flesh and skin were ripped away, and were shoved into the mouths of the feeding Infected. Naruto walked a little closer, seeing a quick flash of silver hair, stained with blood. One of the Infected moved around, trying to get at a meatier part of the body, revealing the face, or at least what once was, a face.

All of the skin had been torn off, revealing red muscle fiber, and sometimes bone. The corpse's expression may have once been one of horrible agony, considering how the mouth was stuck open. The left eye was gone, the optic nerve visible, and lying where the cheek once was. The other eye, had a Sharingan in it.

Kakashi...

Naruto walked on, seeing what appeared to a feminine form impaled on a spur of bone that jutted out from a building covered in more of the fleshy blanket. Her black hair was messy and untamed, flecked with crimson, and fell down around her face. A red armor blouse would have covered her modesty, if her chest wasn't entirely ravaged, and emptied of every organ. Not even the ribcage or spine remained.

He brushed away the hair, revealing once fair skin, having paled in death. She still possessed her eyes, but they were clouded over. Naruto could faintly see the iris' original red color, and a single ring around the pupil. Her mouth had overflowed with blood, considering how it trickled down from her parted ashen lips.

What was her name? Kurenai? He had seen her a few times before, when he visited the Hokage from time to time...

Taking his hand away from Kurenai's rotting corpse, he continued on to the Hokage Tower. Along the way, he saw a few more recognizable bodies strewn about the streets.

Asuma, with a few cigarettes having been shoved into his eyes. Iruka, having been torn in half, the halves of his body connected only by the intestines that stretched across to each half.

Hinata, the timid Hyuuga appeared to be dead, but she lept up at him when he walked past, snarling. Her eyes were a milky white, different from the normal appearance of the Byakugan. She was pinned to a building by a fallen utility pole, wires sparking. Her left arm was underneath the pole, and considering the sound of bone cracking, it was broken. She reached out for him with her free right arm, the hand having been either cut or torn off. There was only a single stark-white bone, dotted with blood, and with a few hanging threads of muscle and skin left.

Naruto ignored the feral growls coming from her, and kept on moving. There were many more dead and Infected he recognized, but he ignored them all. Once at the base of the Hokage Tower, he jumped upwards, and landed on the window that led to the Hokage's Office.

Greene was there, leaning back in the chair, bare feet on the desk. Hiruzen's headless body lay a few feet away, and the old man's head was in her grasp. The skullcap had been torn off, exposing the brain, which Greene picked at with bloodied fingers. Sometimes, she would rip off a piece of gray matter, and eat it, swallowing. She turned to Naruto, smiling with blood-stained teeth.

"See? This..." She spun around the chair, arms wide apart, having tossed away Hiruzen's head. "Is your greatest desire." She licked her bloody fingers, an erotic moan coming from her. "And it's..." She gave a blissful sigh. "So beautiful..." She continued spinning, a few giggles coming from her. Naruto wasn't laughing.

"Who did all of this?" He intoned. He certainly wasn't angry. Neither was he pleased. He had stopped caring some time ago.

Elizabeth gave another giggle, and stopped licking her fingers. She pointed to him with a glistening index finger, and responded.

"Why, you did, of course. Go ahead, look in the mirror." Narrowing his eyes, he turned his head to the left, and his eyes widened in shock.

His white jacket was completely drenched in blood, and it dripped from his body. His face was also flecked with blood, and his eyes, rather than the normal white sclerae, and blue-silver irises, instead possessed crimson sclerae, and golden irises. His whiskers were completely identical to scars now, and what looked like blood leaked from them, leaving six crimson trails down his face.

He whirled to the still giggling Greene, and demanded.

"What the fuck did you do to me?!"

Her giggling became manic laughter, as she sprung up from the chair. She walked around the room, making sure to step on Hiruzen's head, crushing it.

"Me? I didn't do anything. Like I said before, all I did was weaken the dam." She stopped laughing as a truly psychotic look grew on her face. Her grin split her face in half, and her eyes were wide. "And what a show it was!" She began walking towards him, hips swaying all the while. Naruto tensed as she pressed herself against him. Greene lifted her head, a mad smirk on her face. "To think..."Her fingers began crawling up his chest. "my darling son..." She gently began caressing his face. "would grow up so fast..." She started reaching in to kiss him...

_Naruto!_

Who was it now?

_Naruto, you need to fight this!_

How so?

_Destroy her! I know you can!_

Destroy her.

Naruto's eyes became entirely red.

**Destroy her.**

He reared back his arms, Elizabeth stepping back in confusion.

_**Destroy her!**_

With a mighty shove, Elizabeth was sent screaming backwards. She crashed through a window, and fell. A quiet thud indicated her impact.

His now solid red eyes glowed.

A snarl tore at his lips.

Tendrils swarmed around him, Armor forming.

He grew taller, Claws appearing on his left arm, and Blade his right.

A fanged maw was opened wide in a furious roar, shattering the remaining windows.

He jumped forward, through a shattered window, and fell.

Elizabeth was groaning in pain on the ground below. She opened her eyes, and gave a gasp of fear at the sight of an Armored Naruto, Blade at the ready to cleave her in twain, plunging towards her. She sunk into the ground, vanishing completely, just before the tip of the massive Blade pierced into the concrete, penetrating a good five feet.

Naruto roared his anger, all the nearby surviving windows cracking, and eventually shattering in response to the sheer volume. Crimson began shining through the plate of Armor above his fanged jaws, and the Armor slid away, revealing nine luminous scarlet eyes, spread around the outside of his Armored face.

His Blade lengthened further, both edges gaining wicked serrations, identical to those on his Claws. The earth underneath rumbled, and a large fissure started opening, heading right for Naruto. His numerous eyes narrowing, he jumped away, just as a monstrous thing burst out.

It was a bright red, fleshy abomination, easily two stories high. A 'head' of sorts was on top, it being bulbous and pulsing grotesquely. Three growths jutted out of the right side, looking almost like ribs. The 'head' was mounted on a giant spine, the vertebrae as large as Naruto. Three thick, and large tendrils came up, concealing the obvious weakness. The 'eye' had Greene in it, connected to the monstrosity by a system of tubes all having merged with her.

**MOTHER **reared it's 'head' back, and unleashed a high-pitched, and extremely loud shriek. Naruto responded by roaring back, tendrils flailing out from his throat.

He closed his maw, and prepared himself for battle. His Claws were spread out, and raised up. His Blade had been put in a guarding position, the keen edge slathering for Greene's blood.

The two Prime Infected shrieked and roared respectively one last time, before Naruto crouched down.

He growled deeply, and pounced forward.

Blade, screaming for Elizabeth.

* * *

**OH SHIT! Naruto's fighting Greene! And another cliffhanger! I was listening to Slipknot when I wrote this, so yeah. Make sure to review!**


	24. Chapter 24

_Chapter 24_

_...In with the new_

"_In it's purest form, an act of retribution provides symmetry. The rendering payment of crimes against the innocent. But a danger on retaliation lies on the furthering cycle of violence. Still, it's a risk that must be met; and the greater offense is to let the guilty go unpunished..." -Emily Thorne_

"Sentence." _-Speech_

'Sentence.' _\- Thoughts_

_'Sentence' – Kushina's mental dialogue_

_**'Sentence' **-Anastasia's mental dialogue_

**'Sentence' **_-Kyara's/Kyuubi's mental dialogue_

"**Sentence." -**_Distorted speech._

* * *

Naruto's basic combat strategy of assaulting unrelentingly wasn't working. His initial attack only resulted in him being smacked out of the air by one of the thick tendrils guarding the spine of MOTHER, and then juggled by green spheres it launched at him.

'She's changed her tactics. Damn. I need to change it up.' Naruto thought. He was currently underneath a pile of rubble that used to be a building. His landing site after the failed initial attack. He got to his feet, broken wood, and shattered stone sloughing off of his Armored form, shifting his Blade for his Whipfist. It seemed long-range would be needed here. He heard MOTHER shriek, and quickly leaped away, just as a visible shock-wave, MOTHER's version of a Devastator, send the rubble flying away, felling another building.

He clung to the side of the Hokage Tower, and observed his opponent.

MOTHER was searching for him, it's 'head' turning from side to side. Hunters of her own, who resembled giant, shaved gorillas, had gathered around, attempting to sniff him out. He narrowed his eyes, and reared back his Whipfist. With a crack, he sent it forward, cutting into one of the thick tendrils around the spine. It writhed about in pain, and sunk underneath the ground, partially exposing the spine. MOTHER gave another screech, and whirled around to him. More green spheres were launched out of it, making a bee-line for him.

Naruto jumped off the Hokage Tower, the green spheres crashing into the ruined Tower, sending splinters raining down. A Hunter underneath him was his target. It turned it's sunken eyes upward, unleashing a roar, which was cut off when Naruto landed on it, burying his Claws into it's skull. Another Hunter ran up to his back, it's arm cocked back. His Whipfist became a Blade, and he sliced across it's abdomen. It released a pained growl, before being silenced when Naruto chopped it's head off.

Ignoring the other Hunters crowding around him, he once more buried his Claws into the dead Hunter underneath him, and hefted it up. He aimed, and threw. The Hunter's corpse collided into the exposed portion of spine, and MOTHER gave a shriek of pain, collapsing forward onto the ground, leaving Elizabeth vulnerable.

He sprinted forward, bowling over any Hunter's in his way. Once he got close enough, he leaped up, and spun once, returning to the ground Blade first, Elizabeth his target. He carved deeply into Elizabeth, a cavernous gash opening on her body, spanning from her right shoulder, to lower thigh. She gave a cry of agony, and commanded MOTHER to return underground.

When Elizabeth vanished underneath, Naruto heard a roar similar to his own. Whirling around, the earth shook as an immense Hunter landed in front of him. It's skin was a brown, earthy color, and like the other Hunter's, it's arms and head were proportionally larger to it's body. To differentiate it further, there was a second mouth on the top of it's head.

The Leader Hunter gave another roar, calling more of it's smaller brethren to it, the roar being loud enough to cause the stone street to crack underneath. It stopped roaring, and looked at Naruto, a low growl tearing itself from it's throat.

He raised his Blade, and sprinted forward, sliding underneath the ponderously slow swipe of it's paw. While sliding underneath, he pierced it's chest, and continued on down to it's hip. Once he got out from below the Leader Hunter, he jumped to his feet, and turned back to the Leader Hunter. It swayed to and fro dazedly, blood gushing out of the rent in it's body. The Leader trembled for a moment, before it was split in half down the wound, both halves tumbling to the ground, one twitched momentarily before stilling.

Greene may have changed, but her little pets hadn't. They wouldn't be a concern.

MOTHER once more burst out of the ground, releasing another Crimson Shockwave, the street rippling towards him. He once more jumped upwards onto a nearby roof, which began sinking underneath his immense weight. The Shockwave passed, and he jumped off the building, just as the roof collapsed. A multitude of those green orbs homed in on him, and rather than evading, his arms shifted into two hulking Shields replaced them. The glowing green spheres impacted the Shields, bursting, but leaving nary a scratch.

Seeing the Shields on it's foe, MOTHER, rather than sending more of the orbs, which merely bounced off the Armored Naruto, it reared it's head back, and spat a stream of stone at Naruto. Not even his Shields were capable of withstanding such an assault, and Naruto was knocked backwards, crashing through the remains of the Academy building. MOTHER screeched in triumph, but was silenced when a large portion of the Academy was slowly being lifted up, reared back, then thrown with all of Naruto's Musclemass enhanced might.

MOTHER attempted to dodge, but it's form was simply too large, and the slab of stone, glass, and wood that was once the Academy's south wall slammed into it's core, whipping it's head backwards into the Hokage Tower, felling it in a shower of splinters and sawdust. The dazed abomination's head was lying on the street, exposing Elizabeth again.

Deciding enough was enough, Naruto stormed ahead, barging through the horde of Hunter's rushing to protect their Queen. His target Elizabeth. If the infected woman wasn't leaving MOTHER, well then, he'd have to rip her out. After breaking through the horde, Elizabeth was less than a few feet away from him. Releasing a growl, nine red eyes narrowing, he dashed forward.

Greene seemed stunned by the section of building that had knocked her over, and widened her eyes in fear when Naruto's Armored arms, augmented by Musclemass, reached for her. Her head was caught in a skull-crushing grip, and his other hand wrapped around her upper chest, snapping numerous ribs with it's iron grasp. She was pulled out, the tendrils that connected her to MOTHER being torn out of her, taking large chunks of her flesh along with them. Her agonized scream never left her lips, for as once she was ripped from MOTHER's core, Naruto, with Elizabeth in tow, turned on his heel, and sprinted towards the Hokage Monument.

He was trying to both get her away from MOTHER, and slam her into the base of the mountain. An enraged growl, muffled by the large hand wrapped around her head, was the only warning Naruto had before she attempted to claw at his eyes. An irritated growl coming from his throat, he opened his maw, and once Elizabeth's right hand was in range, snapped shut. She gave another cry of pain, mixed with fury, and even when her forearm was bitten off entirely, filling Naruto's mouth with her blood, teeming with the other viruses created by her body, she still fought, using her left hand to try and force him to release her.

"**You don't fucking know when to give up, do you bitch?!"** He rumbled out, a tendril coming from his shoulder, and wrapping around her left wrist, binding her. The tendril began forcing her arm back, causing Elizabeth to scream more, as her arm broke at the elbow. The shattered limb now bent in the opposite direction, entirely useless.

Trees whipped past them both, any in Naruto's path were used to smash Elizabeth against, burying splinters into her back. Unable to properly speak, she merely gave a few growls and hisses of pain.

The Hokage Monument was just a few yards away now. Elizabeth, out of desperation, began biting and gnawing at Naruto's thumb, to absolutely no effect. She was slammed into the base of the mountain, her spine and the rest of her ribs snapping in innumerable places. Naruto finally released her, letting her limp form collapse to the ground.

"**There. Now to finish you." **His Blade replacing his right arm, he prepared to hack her to pieces. But rather than defiantly curse at him, or beg for her life, she instead chuckled lowly. Red eyes narrowed, and he took a cautious step back.

"You...r-really think..." She whipped her head up, a manic grin on her face. "I'm done?!" She punched him squarely in the chest, causing him to grunt in surprise, as he was sent sliding backwards a good five feet. Tendrils swarmed around her body, repairing, and knitting together any damaged bones or wounds on her. A deranged giggle erupted out of her lips, as her arms suddenly shifted. When the tendrils stopped, her arms had been replaced by small, ax-like Blades where her hands would be, and twisted, gnarled, glowing red tubes of flesh taking the place of her arms.

"I've changed too!" She shouted out, grin never leaving her face. "I'm stronger now! You have no hope of defeating me!"

Little did she know, her arrogance would prove to be more than her downfall.

She gave an inhuman screech, and pounced.

The Armor proved far too durable for her Blades however, and they merely bounced off, sending sparks flying. Naruto released another irritated growl, and headbutted her. Her head snapped back, and he buried his Claws into her stomach, lifted her, and slammed her back into the ground. She counted by pulling her legs up, and lashing out with both feet, striking him in the head. He stumbled back, and once he regained his balance, roared at her, red eyes glowing brighter.

Greene shrieked back, and attacked once more, trying to find weaknesses in his Armor. When she managed to slice into the back of his knees, Naruto was forced down. Smirking insanely, having found a vulnerability.

Or so she thought.

Imagine her surprise, when Naruto, seemingly having been immobilized, suddenly sweeped her legs out from under her. With a cry of surprise, Elizabeth fell on her side, and Naruto, having gotten back to his feet, brutally curb-stomped her head.

Once.

Her nose had snapped, and a large bruise was visible on her face, ruining her once beautiful features.

Twice.

The skull was beginning to cave in, and blood openly streamed from the cracks around her head. Her nose was sheared off entirely, revealing the bone, and the interior of her nasal cavity. Likewise, her lips were attached to her mouth only by a few threads of skin now. Teeth were chipped and broken off, and she began choking on them.

A third time.

All of the skin of her face was missing now. Not even muscle remained. All that was left was a shattered skull, teeth all gone. A few gargled murmurs leaked out from what may have once been her mouth. Her green eyes were completely revealed, the eyelids having been ripped off. They wildly spun, looking at Naruto, his Armored foot, and everything else. Terror was clearly shining through them.

Rather than continue to mutilate her face, Naruto instead grabbed her by the throat with a Clawed hand, lifting her upwards. Saliva dripped off his fangs, and he opened his maw wide with a rumbling growl.

If Elizabeth could have closed her eyes, she would have.

Reality replaced the ruins of Konoha.

A peaceful forest, only marred by the fact that the forest floor resembled a battleground, with craters and fallen trees. Elizabeth's features returned to normal, and she franctically looked around her new environment.

Was Naruto showing her mercy?

A voice echoing throughout her psyche answered her.

"_**Obey."**_

She gasped as control of her body was wrested from her. Naruto let go of her, letting her fall to the grass below. His Armor was gone, and he taken on his normal appearance.

Dispassionate blue-silver eyes stared at her.

"Hm. Looks like it works. I have control over you." He droned out.

Greene's eyes widened in a combination of panic and terror. Control? He could control her?

She was about to speak, try and beg for her life, but she felt her jaw force itself shut.

"Ah-ah. No talking. Follow my every order." Naruto continued. His voice entirely lifeless. His blue-silver eyes lost their glow. They even lost their natural reflectiveness. A white bib appeared in his left hand, formed by his biomass. He crouched down, tying the bib around her neck. A single gasp came from the shocked Elizabeth, only to be muted once more.

"There." A glint appeared in his dull eyes. It terrified her.

"**Now. Obey."** He monotoned, his voice warping momentarily.

Elizabeth's body jerked, and her left hand came up to her mouth. Greene, still conscious, was forced to watch as she placed her fingers in her mouth.

And bit down.

The flesh was easy to chew through. The bone was, of course, much tougher. Eventually, she managed to bite through, and was now chewing slowly. Tears streamed from her eyes, a combination of pure horror, and agony.

Once her fingers were soft enough to swallow, she did so, only finding some difficulty in getting the broken bone down her gullet.

"You're nowhere near done yet. Keep eating." The hooded blonde showed no reaction at all to the disturbing sight. Nothing at all. Amusement, guilt, happiness, there was simply nothing on his face.

The fingers on her left hand all gone, blood jetting out of the rough stumps, she began gnawing on her right hand's fingers.

She would finish in an hour. Eventually, all that remained was her upper arms, and upper legs. Unable to eat anymore of herself, Naruto completely destroyed her using Kyara's chakra. Elizabeth burned for a few minutes. And once the fire was done, there weren't even ashes left.

Elizabeth Greene was dead.

Naruto looked on at the charred crater where Elizabeth once was. He had forced her out of his body using a Bio-Clone that only weighed 150 pounds. An acceptable loss. She was dead now. If she still had a soul, it was gone too.

He eventually managed to tear his eyes away, and looked up at the Sun.

Less then five minutes had passed since he infected Haku.

Naruto shook his head, and walked back to the cave where Haku was. Idly, he wondered what other surprises awaited him. Would General Randall come screaming out of the bushes, a Bowie Knife in hand, and draped in the American Flag?

Thankfully, nothing of the sort happened. Haku was still asleep, smile still on her face. He gently lifted her bridal-style, and the bed she was laying on dissolved into bio-mass and returned to his body.

'Girls?' Were they alright? Had Greene done something to them?

_'Ow...'_

Naruto momentarily breathed a sigh of relief. Kushina was okay.

'Hey. You feeling alright?'

_'Not really...My head hurts...'_

'How bad?'

_'It doesn't hurt a lot, but it still hurts.'_

'Right. What happened?'

_'I just kind of...fell asleep? Ana-chan and Kya-chan did the same. I'll try and wake them up. Do you have any idea of what happened?'_

'Not a clue.' He lied through his teeth.

He felt Kushina narrow her eyes momentarily, before she gave a hiss of pain.

_'Okay, fucking ow! I'll talk to you later Naru-koi. I need an ice pack or something.' _She grumbled for a few moments, before closing the link.

When she did, Naruto began walking out of the cave. As much as he hated keeping secrets from his loved ones, this needed to stay under wraps for a few days at least. It wouldn't do for either Kushina, Anastasia, or Kyara to start worrying themselves sick about him. Besides, Greene was gone now.

He began making his way back to Tazuna's house.

Yes.

Now that Greene was gone...

He was fine.

Perfectly fine.

* * *

**Greene is gone! And Naruto disposes of her brutally! He's keeping it from the people he loves! Drama! Action! Questions! Make sure to review!**

**Also, yeah. There's a key now. _Someone, _I won't name who, but SOMEONE managed to get me off of my lazy ass and make me write a key in. I'll put different versions of it, where it's appropriate. Naruto will return to Konoha next chapter. So, yeah.**

**Now pardon me, while I call up my personal hitman. Buh-bye!**

**Also! Digital cookies to those of you who can properly identify the method Naruto used to kill Greene! What TV show, and who used that method should be included. **


	25. Chapter 25

_Chapter 25_

_Return to the Leaf_

"_As truth be told, homecoming never gets old..."-Hlovate_

"Sentence." _-Speech_

'Sentence.' _\- Thoughts_

_'Sentence' – Kushina's mental dialogue_

_**'Sentence' **-Anastasia's mental dialogue_

**'Sentence' **_-Kyara's/Kyuubi's mental dialogue_

"**Sentence." -**_Distorted speech._

* * *

Getting back to Tazuna's home wasn't too eventful, except for when Haku awoke.

"Mmm...Naruto-sama..."

She was rather...affectionate.

Haku was currently hanging off of his neck, her smaller slender form, being dwarfed by his own tall, and lean figure. She was nuzzling against the back of his neck, either sighing in pleasure, or calling him 'Naruto-sama'. Considering she had just done both, Naruto's concerns proved unfounded.

He had been worrying that the infection had altered her more than he originally thought.

"Yes, Haku?" Naruto responded, a hint of affection in his tone. He honestly couldn't help himself. It seemed that being around subordinate Infected triggered an instinctive protective response in him. It wasn't as though it was a bad thing.

"Where are we going?" She chirped out happily. Her head was tilted in curiosity.

"Back to Tazuna's house. Do you remember him?" Call him paranoid, but he told Haku that she had amnesia, and that he took her in. If memories from her past life were to leak in, he'd simply pass them off as delusions. As uncomfortable as it made him, it ensured that Haku wouldn't start questioning anything.

He trusted Anastasia, but he needed to be absolutely certain. If the infection wasn't able to completely make her loyal to him, he needed to fashion a series of lies to make her believe.

The raven-haired girl on his back hummed slightly, before shaking her head. He turned his head to her, silver-blue eyes meeting ice blue.

That was another thing. It seemed infection had changed her physical appearance slightly, with her iris coloration. Her original eye color was an innocent-looking doe brown. Beyond that, her body was slightly more muscular, and toned.

_**'Oh? Already have another girl in your cross-hairs?'**_

He inwardly chuckled, returning his gaze forward. It seemed Anastasia approved of her enough to consider Haku joining his...

**'Harem train?'**

'I would have said something more tasteful, like concubines.'

_'Pshaw. Tasteful? You need to get that stick out your rear.'_

'What? I prefer being civilized.'

_'He prefers being civilized. Where was your 'civilized' self when we...'_

'Made love?'

_'Had a threesome, you mean. While there was love no doubt, We just wanted you to feel good.'_

_**'Yep!'**_

'Well, that's touching. Could you please be quiet for a few moments?'

_'Why should we?'_

'I'm trying to make sure Haku's alright.'

_'Oh, right. I guess we'll talk later.'_

The link was closed, and glorious silence returned. As nice as it was to have Kushina and Anastasia around, he couldn't wait to return to Konoha, if only so they could exit his body.

He returned his attention to Haku, and asked.

"How are you feeling, Haku? You were in poor condition when I took you in."

He could feel her smile behind him, her happiness making itself known through their telepathic link.

"I feel great, Naruto-sama!"

"That's good, Haku. You've recovered well. Say..." He paused, and turned his head back to her. "You want to come back with me to Konoha?"

The female Evolved nodded.

"Yes, Naruto-sama."

He smiled at her, Haku smiling back.

"Good. I have a feeling you'll like it there."

She hugged him tighter, pressing her growing bosom against his back.

"As long as I'm with you, Naruto-sama, I'm happy."

A brief flicker of guilt clawed at him.

_**'You're not guilty of anything.'**_

Naruto blinked once as Anastasia spoke to him. There was a loving gentleness in her tone.

'How so? I knew infection would make her completely loyal to me, but it's another thing entirely to see it. I've taken away this girl's free will. How am I not guilty?'

_**'She chose this remember? She wanted to live. Zabuza taught her that she was nothing more than a tool to him. But, she still had a degree of freedom in her. Rather than just lay there and die, she made a choice to live. Who knows, maybe she still has a degree of liberty left. Not enough for her to even think about betraying you, but enough to make decisions on her own.'**_

Phantom hands caressed his cheeks.

_**'The only way she would feel any misery is if you treated her badly. And we both know you'd never do that.'**_

Whatever guilt he felt vanished at those words.

'Thanks for that. Still learning to deal with this...conscience I have now.'

_**'It's alright. I had some difficulty too. I'll always be here for you, remember that. All of us. Kushina, Saiyuri, Mikoto, and Kyara. We'll never leave you.'**_

Invisible lips brushed against his own, and Anastasia closed the link.

Kami, he loved those women. Well and truly loved them. Where would he be without them?

He put a stop to those thoughts. Considering what may have been wouldn't help him. Tazuna's house was in view now.

Hopefully, Saiyuri didn't react too strongly.

**(Five minutes later)**

"Hi, Haku-chan!"

Well, if anything she was certainly happy. He introduced Haku, saying that she was a girl imprisoned by Gato, and that he freed her. Upon being freed, she latched onto him, calling him her master. Kakashi nodded, feeling a measure of pity for her. Sakura, awkwardly greeted her, only to be ignored entirely by the raven-haired girl. And Saiyuri...

Haku blushed more as Saiyuri hugged her tighter. She turned ice-blue eyes to her master, silently begging for help. It seemed she was a little bit timid, but nowhere near enough as Hinata, who's entire face turned red whenever someone even so much as glanced in her direction.

Naruto shrugged, deciding to leave Haku to the wolf called Saiyuri, who was currently nuzzling against Haku's cheek.

"We look so much alike! Maybe I can call you imoto-chan! Would you like that, imoto-chan?" gushed Saiyuri.

Naruto honestly wasn't expecting her to be so gleeful. If anything, he expected at least a hint of jealousy.

Haku blushed more, and stammered out.

"U-um...C-could you p-please let go o-of me, Saiyuri-s-sama?"

A fierce look entered Saiyuri's eyes, and she stared directly into Haku's own ice blue eyes.

"Nuh-uh! Call me Onee-chan!"

The ice girl blushed even more, and nodded.

"O-okay...Onee-chan." She whispered out the last word.

Saiyuri's smile forced her eyes closed, and she hugged the younger girl tighter to her.

"Yay! Imoto-chan called me Onee-chan!" And with that, she returned to nuzzling the younger girl's now blazing cheeks.

Naruto tried his very best to ignore the way their breasts mushed against each other. And the way their rears jiggled...

He quickly shook his head. Oh Kami, he was turning into a damn pervert.

He faintly heard Kakashi in the nearest room suddenly shout at the top of his lungs.

"YES! I AVENGED YOU ICHA-ICHA-CHAN!"

Ignoring the small amount of shame he was feeling, Naruto tapped Saiyuri on the shoulder. The female Uchiha whirled around, a bright smile on her face.

"Yes, Naru-kun?" She tilted her head to the side, lustrous raven strands falling. Naruto valiantly resisted the urge to pet her, and managed to ask.

"Have you seen Saya around? I've been looking for her, and I can't seem to find her."

Saiyuri nodded, and pointed upstairs.

"Yeah, she's in our room." Her smile turned teasing. "She's been asking for her Onii-sama ever since she got back."

The hooded blonde frowned.

"Got back?"

She nodded once more, smile faltering slightly.

"Didn't you know? Saya went out for a few hours."

Uh-oh.

Naruto quickly said good-bye to Saiyuri, and made his way upstairs. What had Saya done while she was out? Considering how twisted Orochimaru was, Saya was only innocent in that she had no idea what pain was, or that hurting people was wrong. It was an extremely morbid thought, one that Naruto hoped wasn't reality.

He reached the door that led to his and Saiyuri's room, and opened it. Saya was sleeping in the bed, a soft smile on her unblemished face. The two tufts of hair on her head wiggled slightly in response to her dreams. Then Naruto caught the faintest coppery scent of blood wafting off of her.

His eyes widened, and he kneeled down next to her. He gently brushed aside a few dark green strands, and on her face, was a single drop of blood.

Naruto tried to calm himself, rubbing a hand against his forehead.

He succeeded, partially at least. He placed a hand on Saya's shoulder, and began carefully shaking her awake.

Saya loosed a few moans of displeasure, before eventually opening her eyes with a huff. Of course, upon seeing Naruto, she quickly lost whatever irritation she felt.

Her green eyes glowed with happiness, and she quickly hugged him.

"Onii-sama!" She cried out gleefully. "I missed you so much!"

He hugged her back, managing to stifle the questions brewing in his mind.

"Hi, imoto-chan." He breathed into her ear, letting the love she felt for him wash over his mind. While he had yet to form a true telepathic link with her, there was an empathic link. Well, at the very least, he once more confirmed her love was truly genuine.

Naruto patted her on the head, a silent signal to stop hugging. She pulled back with a slight pout.

"Mou...I wanted to keep hugging Onii-sama..." She briefly whined. Any further complaints were silenced when Naruto began stroking her two tufts of hair. It seemed they were sensitive to touch, as she literally began purring.

A few drops of sweat trickled down the side of his face.

Seeing that she was completely relaxed, Naruto decided to ask the all-important question.

"Saya-chan, what did you did when you left the house?" He dreaded the answer.

The green-haired girl briefly moaned in pleasure at Naruto's ministrations, before responding.

"I-I was playing, N-Naru-nii..." A drawn out mewl interrupted her. But Naruto didn't need to hear anymore.

Dammit. How did Orochimaru raise her? What was her childhood like?

_**'It can't have been much worse than yours. Naruto, relax. Let me handle this.'**_

He sighed in relief at Anastasia's offer.

'Thanks. You helped me when I first killed. Saya... I don't think she knows that's what she's doing. How are you going to deal with this?'

_**'That depends. Do you still want her to be innocent?'**_

Naruto mulled over the choice. If Saya was kept innocent, when she learned the truth of her games, it could have an extreme impact on her. On the other hand, if she learned the truth now, she might not consider it a game anymore. But she'd lose that childish innocence. She'd be forced to grow up.

'What do you think?'

_**'Something different. I won't tell her what she's really doing, but I will tell her that she can only play when you say to.'**_

'Are you sure about that? What if...'

_**'It's okay Naruto. I can handle it, and so can you. I know you can.'**_

Naruto briefly chuckled. It wasn't a mirthful one.

'Really? I can handle it? Like I handled everything else?'

_**'Like I said, I know you can. You're underestimating your ability to change people.'**_

He sighed inwardly.

'I suppose. How should I do this?'

_**'You'll need to form that telepathic link now. Just touch your hand to her forehead. I'll do the rest.**_

'Okay.'

Thankfully, Saya was still lost in ecstasy, and she briefly moaned when Naruto placed his palm against her forehead. Anastasia did the rest on her end.

'O-Onii-sama's hands feel s-so good...' Saya thought to herself. How had her Onii-sama figured out her weak spots? It wasn't fair! She shivered lightly as another wave of euphoria rocked her body. And then, the strangest thing. A young woman's voice.

_**'Saya-chan?'**_

'W-Who are you?' Unfortunately, Naruto stopped rubbing her weak spots, much to her disappointment, given the quiet whine she gave.

_**'I'm your Onii-sama's friend. I...guess you can call me Onee-sama.'**_

'Onee-sama? I have an Onee-sama now?'

_**'You have lots of Onee-samas, Saya-chan, but that's not why I'm here.'**_

'Oh. Why are you here, Onee-sama?'

_**'Remember when you play your games?'**_

'Yes! I love to play games!'

_**'Well, other people might not be too happy if they see you playing. If you ever want to play, just ask your Onii-sama first.'**_

'D-Does that mean I can't play anymore?' Her lower lip began quivering, and tears gathered in the corners of her eyes. Naruto noticed this, and was about to do something, when Kushina stopped him.

_'Hold your horses, Naruto. Everything's fine.'_

'Everything's fine!? Saya's crying!'

_'Okay, you're being kinda over-protective, you know that right?'_

'W-Well I can't help it! You know that!'

_'Okay, okay. Just relax. Ana-chan's got this.'_

'Alright...if you say so.'

The hooded blonde returned to the conversation ongoing in Saya's mind.

_**'I never said that, Saya-chan. You just need permission first. Then you can play all you want, just don't play with the people Naruto loves. It would make him mad. Do you want your Onii-sama to be mad at you?'**_

The green-haired girl shook her head franctically, the tears vanishing from her eyes.

'No! I don't want Onii-sama to be mad at me!'

_**'That's good, Saya-chan. Okay, I need to go now. Bye, Saya-chan!'**_

'Bye, Onee-sama!'

Seeing the smile on Saya's face, Naruto breathed a sigh of relief, extending it when Anastasia returned to him.

_**'There you go! If she wants to play, she'll need your permission first!'**_

He returned to rubbing Saya's weak spots, drawing a pleasured whimper from her.

'I can't thank you enough. The blunder I would have made here...'

_**'It's alright, Naruto. That's why we're here! And, I do know of one way you could repay me...' **_She gave a sultry whine. **_'My fingers aren't good enough any more. Do you mind if you...'_**

'S-Shut up.' His cheeks gained a light pink to them.

Anastasia giggled, and Naruto once more felt phantom lips on his own.

_**'It's okay, Naruto. I'm ready whenever you are.'**_

She closed the link, but not before _accidentally _brushing an invisible hand against Naruto's crotch. The hooded woman giggled once more, before retreating into the mindscape.

Leaving a blushing Naruto to grumble about how he was surrounded by perverts. A sudden loud moan from Saya drew his attention.

A bright red blush was on her cheeks, and...there was a stain on the bed.

"U-Um...Onii-sama..." She lifted her head up to him, embarrassment clearly shining through her eyes. "I m-made a mess."

Naruto stared at the stain for a moment. Then looked to Saya's dress, between the junction of her legs, and there was another stain there as well.

'Oh, son of a...'

He accidentally caused Saya to orgasm.

Whoops.

**(Tomorrow morning)**

Today was the day Team 7 would leave Nami. After Naruto cleaned the bridge of all of the thug's corpses, mind you. He had gained a good **twenty tons **worth of Biomass. Of course, he couldn't just walk around, twenty tons compressed into a human, if taller than average, form. So he siphoned off the excess into the storage seal on his chest. It was certainly a good haul, and would serve to make him very powerful when he used it all at once.

Haku had slept in the same bed with him, Saya taking a liking to her as well. Naruto theorized it had something to do with how Haku was an Evolved now. Saya even called her 'Haku-nee-chan'. It made the ice girl blush again, a rather endearing sight, Naruto admitted to himself.

There was a little festival ongoing outside. Saiyuri, Sakura, and Kakashi all went to have fun, Naruto deciding to stay behind.

He didn't do well in any large gatherings. A lot of people tended to...disappear.

He wasn't alone mind you. He was accompanied back at Tazuna's house by Haku, who steadfastly refused to leave Naruto alone making wild accusations of hidden ninjas plotting to kill him. Naruto responded that Haku just wanted to be with him. The blush on her cheeks was all the answer he needed.

Saya stayed behind as well, remarking that she didn't like large groups of people either. That, and well, she could be with her Onii-sama, of course. A faint blush had come to her cheeks when she remembered the...rather awkward events of yesterday. She had felt a coil within her tighten, and just as it reached it's breaking point, she...

What did Onii-sama call it? Orgasm?

Yes, she had an orgasm apparently.

While the word was difficult to pronounce for her, the orgasm itself felt very...good. She wondered what it would be like to have another one. The Icha-Icha books she read talked about something called 'sex' and it mentioned orgasm.

Was that how you had an orgasm? By having sex?

Her blush became brighter.

She really wouldn't mind having sex with her Onii-sama. It was supposed to make you feel good right?

Maybe she could make Onii-sama feel good too.

Of course, little did she know that Naruto could hear every thought from her now. Said whiskered blonde was in the kitchen, helping Tsunami make food for the little festival.

'Uh-oh.'

_'Uh-oh?'_

'I think Saya's becoming curious about sex now.'

**'Oh, it can't be that bad.'**

'Can't be that bad?! My little sister wants to have sex with me! That's not bad in any way at all!?'

_**'I don't see anything wrong with it.'**_

'Of course none of you would see anything wrong with it! You're all perverts!'

_'Oh? And you aren't turning into one yourself? I saw you looking at Saya's bum. You sly fox, you...'_

'S-Shut up!'

**'Oh, stop being a prude. You already had a threesome with your birth mother, and the woman who actually raised you. Incest seems to be in your nature.'**

Naruto started ignoring the trio of voices in his head. Oh, how he couldn't wait to get two of them out.

_'I heard that!'_

Ignoring Kushina, as well as the cry of indignation she gave, Naruto returned to his work. He was supposed to be baking a series of layered cakes for the party. Chocolate, vanilla, strawberry, and a multitude of other flavors, six cakes in total. He had already made two of them, the chocolate, and vanilla, and had handed them off to Tsunami, who would deliver them.

Considering how he threatened to kill her less than a week ago, she was being remarkably friendly. Likely because he killed Gato. Eh. The little midget deserved to die anyway for the threat he made to Saiyuri.

Naruto was currently in a rather silly outfit. A chef's hat was on his head, followed by a white apron draped over him, stained with chocolate, vanilla, and strawberry. Continuing with the chef theme, he wore a double-breasted chef's jacket underneath the apron, followed by black suit pants, and black slip-on shoes, polished to a shine.

A few years ago, He had consumed a rogue culinary-ninja, wanted for poisoning the Daimyo of the Land of Lightning. The rogue cooking-nin was planning on assassinating the Hokage, as a way to test his skills. Of course, he failed and Naruto ended up with an almost encyclopaedic knowledge of cooking. Poisoning food too, but that was neither here nor there.

_'I still can't believe you're wearing that.'_

Naruto briefly chuckled, touching his chef's hat for a moment.

'What? I think I make this look good.'

_'Sure. Right. Whatever you say.'_

**'Hmm...I do think he looks nice wearing that.'**

_**'If only, so he can wear it when we're role-playing, right?'**_

**'Of course. In any other respect, like now for instance, he just looks ridiculous.'**

_**'I agree.'**_

Disheartened by their comments, Naruto sat down in the corner of the kitchen, holding onto his chef's hat like it was a security blanket. His eyes were welling up slightly, and a few whimpers would occasionally come from him.

"I-I don't look silly...I look great..." He eventually lost it, and clutched his hat tighter, tears openly streaming from his eyes.

_'O-Okay, don't cry. Don't c-cry, cause you're gonna m-make me cry now...' _Naruto faintly heard Kushina start blubbering at the end of the sentence.

**'Seriously? Am I surrounded by children?'**

'Y-You're all being m-mean...'

_**'Alright fine. You look great wearing that.' **_Anastasia was being obviously sarcastic, but Naruto didn't seem to care. He jumped to his feet, hat back on his head, eyes glinting.

"Ha-hah!" He cried out in triumph. "I knew you'd come to like it!"

Within his mind, Anastasia rolled her eyes.

With a fire in his eyes, he returned to his cooking. Currently, the base of the strawberry cake was being baked in the oven. All he needed to do was make sure it didn't get burned.

Lot less stressful than fighting. Even if the people he fought were caught completely off guard.

But, still. He could get used to this. It was certainly healthier than killing. He knew for a fact he wouldn't ever completely kick killing people, if only because there would always be people who either made their final mistake in pissing him off, or just outright deserved death.

The front door swung open, and Naruto turned to see Tsunami walking in with a pleasant smile on her face. He waved to her, and Tsunami waved back.

"Hey, Naruto. How's the cake coming along?" She asked. Naruto was a surprisingly good cook. Everyone loved the cakes he had made.

Idly, she wondered if Naruto was always like this. She still had vivid memories of him threatening to kill her, and the edge of his Claw at her throat...

Tsunami shivered lightly, something that Naruto took notice of. He leaned against the kitchen counter, taking off his hat, and placing it beside him, crossing his arms. He sighed heavily.

"Hey, uh...Tsunami?"

She turned to him, a questioning look on her face.

"Yes?"

Naruto, looking rather uncomfortable, scratched at his whiskered cheek lightly. For a moment, he looked like he was struggling to speak.

"I um...just want to say...sorry." He made eye contact with her, a flicker of regret in his blue-silver eyes. "What I did...it was uncalled for, and entirely unnecessary." His head quickly darted to the floor, and he whispered out. "Just...know that I'm really sorry." Naruto brought his head back up, a bitter smile on his face.

"You don't need to accept my apology, I just...wanted you know that." Finished speaking, he turned away from her, paying close attention to the section of cake in the oven, until a feminine hand lightly touched his shoulder. He turned his head to the right, trying not to immediately assume the worst.

Thankfully, his fears were unfounded. Tsunami looked at him with a gentle, motherly smile, and her eyes glowed with kindness.

"I accept it. I can't really blame you anyway." She took on an almost pitying expression. "You're hurt. Deep inside." She gently laid a hand on his chest, just above where his heart should be. "And there's a lot of scars, aren't there?"

Naruto nodded slowly, a somber look on his face.

She sighed lightly, and took her hand off him. Naruto spoke up, grimly.

"Yes. I'm fairly certain all I have inside is scars."

Tsunami smiled again, and Naruto felt another foreign feeling stab at him.

"I think not." Her smile grew slightly. "I've seen how you behave around Saiyuri. You love her, don't you?"

Not seeing where this was going, Naruto nodded.

Her dark brown eyes shined with compassion.

"See? You can still love. You can still be loved. Don't ever forget that. That's how you'll heal. Through the people you love with all your heart."

Naruto smiled lightly.

"I'll take your advice then." His smile faded slightly. "And Tsunami?" The dark-haired mother tilted her head to the side. "I recommend you find help as well. If not for yourself, then for your son."

Tsunami nodded slowly. She had a few...issues after seeing Kaiza killed by Gato. Maybe a good psychiatrist could help her out with that. Her smile returned.

"Yes, I should." A fit of giggles came to her then. "It's funny how that works. I help you, you help me." Naruto chuckled along with her.

Maybe there was some hope for him yet.

**(A few hours later)**

The festival was over now. An array of fireworks dazzled the residents of Nami, and Saiyuri would later say that she had a great time, only wishing that Naruto had joined her there. Team 7 were at the far end of the bridge, and were watching as Tazuna was about to pull back a black tarp that draped over something at least twenty feet tall. There was a bright smile on his wrinkled face, and he gave a shout.

"You all ready?!" A chorus of cheers sounded out from behind them, the entirety of Nami had gathered on the bridge, eagerly awaiting the moment the monument would be revealed. With a cry, Tazuna pulled back the tarp, and the statue underneath was revealed.

Naruto's eyes widened, and Saiyuri hugged him tighter, a smile on her wonderful face. Kakashi looked on with an eye-smile, and Sakura jumped up with a joyful cheer.

The monolithic statue was made of marble, gathered from Gato's mansion, which had been torn apart, and the materials used in the town to rebuild. The stone was carved into the likeness of Naruto, hooded jacket, bubble vest, jeans, and all. Even his whiskers were on the statue. He was standing tall, a foot on Gato's body underneath, his arms were crossed, and he looked towards the city. His statue's face was identical to his own, and had a neutral expression. A plaque, made with gold, was on the marble base of the statue. It read...

_Naruto Uzumaki_

_Nami's savior_

Oh great. It made him look like a hero.

_'Oh, stop it. You are a hero.'_

He sighed as Kushina's voice echoed throughout his mind.

'I'm not a hero. Not even close. I killed Gato because he threatened Saiyuri. Not for Nami.'

_'So? If you're not Nami's hero, you're certainly Yuri-_chan's_.'_

Saiyuri's laughter to his left drew his attention. He turned his head to her. She looked elated, with a grin on her face.

"That's you, Naruto!" Her grin turned into a teasing smile. "Bet you never thought you'd ever get a statue of yourself, huh?"

Naruto shook his head, and responded.

"Not once. I'll admit, I feel...weird, seeing that."

Saiyuri tilted her head in confusion.

"Weird?"

Naruto sighed, and brought Saiyuri closer to him, wrapping his arms around her.

"I didn't kill Gato for Nami. It was for you."

She nodded slowly.

"I know that. But, all that means is that your my hero."

_'See?'_

Ignoring Kushina, he sighed lightly.

"It just doesn't feel right."

Frowning, Saiyuri pressed the side of her head against Naruto's chest.

She knew Naruto didn't have the highest opinion of himself, but this was starting to make her worry.

Thankfully, those thoughts were banished from her mind when Kakashi said it was time to head back to Konoha. Gathering their belongings, Team 7 made to leave, only to be accosted by Inari.

"W-Wait! I need to talk with Naruto!"

Naruto frowned in confusion, and left the Team for a moment, all of them looking on. He walked to Inari, and crouched down in front of him.

"Yes, Inari?"

The young boy shifted in place for a moment before speaking.

"I...just wanted to say sorry. For what I said."

Naruto nodded, and placed a hand on top of Inari's head.

"Apology accepted. What I did was kinda overboard, so I guess I'm sorry too."

Inari smiled, and Naruto walked back, to his Team. Just as they were about to set off, Naruto heard Inari shout out.

"Bye, Naruto!"

He turned, and raised his hand, in a farewell, and once Inari waved back, Naruto returned his attention to the road.

It was time to head back.

Naruto could never foresee the events that would happen there.

* * *

**Oh...God...there's...so...much...fluff...Urk! Make sure to review!**


	26. Chapter 26

_Chapter 26_

_Home sweet home?_

"Sentence." _-Speech_

'Sentence.' _\- Thoughts_

_'Sentence' – Kushina's mental dialogue_

_**'Sentence' **-Anastasia's mental dialogue_

**'Sentence' **_-Kyara's/Kyuubi's mental dialogue_

"**Sentence." -**_Distorted speech._

* * *

The trip back to Konoha wasn't too long, now that Team 7 could move at a ninja pace. Within less than two days, they had returned. Kakashi was leading, nose buried in his Icha-Icha book like usual, Sakura was following behind him, and Naruto and Saiyuri were lagging behind, accompanied by Haku, and Saya.

Naruto had made the decision to introduce Saya to Team 7, saying that she was a girl whose parents were killed by Gato. Not wanting to stay in the town where her mother and father lost their lives, she asked Naruto if she could join him at Konoha. He agreed, and thus, Saya followed him.

Kakashi made a snide comment on how Naruto seemed to attract pretty girls merely by being next to them, Sakura insulted Naruto, claiming he was a pervert, which earned her a crimson-eyed glare from said hooded blonde, very nearly making her lose control over her bowels.

However, when Saiyuri showed little reaction to Saya, Kakashi saw another reason to be suspicious. Either Saiyuri had met her before, or she knew more about her than she showed.

It was yet another reason to be cautious of Naruto. The decision gnawed at him.

Tell the Hokage? Or keep it secret, in an effort to honor his late sensei?

Kakashi didn't know what choice to make. He knew Naruto wasn't acting in the best interests of Konoha, but considering how he lived, how he was raised, in a village where almost all of it's residents either considered him the Devil, or hated him completely, he was justified in that. He didn't know the specifics of the jutsu used to seal away the Kyuubi, but if it involved **Death **itself, Naruto's very soul may have been included in the deal made that fateful night.

How much of Naruto had been sacrificed? Did it end at his innocence? His humanity? Was his soul sacrificed as well? How heavy was the burden that Naruto had to carry? Moreover, when Naruto passed, what would become of him? Would he join his parents in Paradise, be condemned to the Inferno, or, even worse, not get an afterlife at all?

Kakashi knew none of the answers to those questions. A heavy sigh forced itself past his lips. He could really use a stiff drink...

A few feet behind him, Naruto observed Kakashi with a critical eye. He had acted rather rashly in hindsight, at the bridge. Exposed too much of his capabilities. He needed to learn how to maintain secrecy. If future opponents knew nothing of him, it would make dealing with them much easier.

A frown came to his sharp features. There was also the matter of expanding his skill-set. Shape-shifting, even as absolute as his own, had it's limits. He needed to make a conscious effort to change his body structure, and even the shortest moment could decide the victor in a battle.

His frown grew. Naruto disliked using jutsu, not because he was enough of a fool to actually limit himself in combat, but because using chakra left a trail behind. A skilled sensor could memorize his unique chakra signature, and possibly spread that knowledge elsewhere. That, and his chakra was...unique. It seemed Blacklight not only affected his mind and soul, but his chakra as well.

His chakra was distinctively _inhuman _much like everything else about him. When he had first entered the academy, he had to be screened first. It involved a simple physical, and then his chakra had to be examined. The sensor who did the examination left the room within seconds of feeling his chakra, later calling it 'monstrous' and 'vile'.

This was a problem because a chakra as dark and cloying as his own would be unmistakable among the average signatures of most shinobi.

A short sigh came from his lips.

If he was going to Kiri, he needed to maintain absolute anonymity. He needed an alias, he needed to dress differently, and either change his face, or simply conceal it. His voice would need to be altered as well. But, Kiri would be a good proving ground, for both him, and his Infected. Some Brawlers would accompany him, leaving the rest to guard the bunker. The Steamroller, as powerful as it was, was more suited to a defensive role than an offensive. Hydras would be good as well, with the simple method of using their entirely alien appearance to sow fear and disgust throughout his enemies.

Mei Terumi was the leader of the rebels, and he'd have to make contact with her somehow. Naruto considered simply consuming one of her men to figure out her location, but decided that Mei likely wouldn't be too pleased at that.

But firstly, there was a much more imminent problem in Konoha. Blacklight had been introduced to the sewers, and it most certainly didn't twiddle it's thumbs for twelve years. Lately, there had been an increasing rate of grave robbery in Konoha. Coffins would be exhumed, and left out in the open, while the deceased's body would be found nowhere. Whatever the virus had created, rather than actively hunt humans for biomass, the creatures instead, scavenged corpses.

There was likely an intelligence behind it, however. Rather than draw attention by having people go missing, simply take a corpse. Grave-robbing wasn't unheard of, and shinobi's corpses were usually cremated to ensure that no village secrets like kekkai genkai, or kinjutsu could be harvested from the corpse. Sometimes, a shinobi's body would be left intact, and simply buried, the hope being that, as the body decomposed, any secrets would rot away as well.

But the grave robbers didn't make a distinction, so long as it was dead, they took it away. It was more than likely whatever Infected resided in the sewers were formed using necrotic bio-matter, rather than living like his own Infected.

Another sigh.

He had a lot of work to do.

Idly hugging Saiyuri closer to him, and noticing the pout on Saya's cherubic face, he raised his left arm in invitation. She smiled widely, and quickly took the spot on his left, hugging him tightly enough that, if he still possessed a ribcage, said bones would creak in protest. A tap on his shoulder reminded him of his newest Infected. He turned his head, and saw Haku with a similar pout on her own face.

He inwardly groaned. Closing his eyes, he nodded once, and felt Haku wrap her arms around his waist from behind. The ice girl gave a happy sigh, before nuzzling against the small of his back.

Great. With three young, attractive women all hanging off of him, he'd attract _so _much attention.

Ah...screw it.

**(Konoha Gates)**

A pair of yawns coming from the nearby booth drew the ire of the senior guard. He was an older man, with short brown hair, and wearing the standard Konoha jonin outfit.

"Izumo! Kotetsu! Get your lazy asses up!" He barked out. The two guards within the booth gave startled cries, before falling off of their chairs with a loud thud. A vein bulged on the senior guard's forehead.

Why did he have to be stuck with these two nimrods anyway?

"Y-Yes, sir! We're getting up, sir!" shouted out Izumo. A lightly tanned hand gripped onto the edge of the desk within the booth, and pulled up said chunin.

Izumo Kamizuki was a man in his mid-twenties, with dark brown hair combed over so that it covered his right eye, with the rest falling around his head., with eyes the same color. He wore his hitai-ate like a bandanna, concealing the top of his head. He wore the standard Konoha shinobi outfit, the only difference being that his black body-suit reached up to his chin.

"O-Of course, sir! On I-It sir!" cried out Kotetsu, having popped up from behind the desk.

Kotetsu Hagane was of similar age to Izumo, and had long, spiky black hair, with bangs kept from his eyes with the standard hitai-ate. Of note was the single bandage that ran across the bridge of his nose, and a marking on his chin the same color as his hair. He wore the standard Konoha shinobi outfit.

The senior guard stalked forward, face eerily calm.

"Must I ask why you two, _esteemed_ guardsmen of Konoha were sleeping?"

Both chunins shook their heads.

He leaned in close, glaring directly at Kotetsu.

"Do either of you know just how important your jobs are?"

The two chunins nodded their heads rapidly.

Another vein bulged on the senior guard's forehead, and he began chewing them both out.

"No, you don't! Your mission is to ensure that the residents of Konoha are safe! You are the first line of defense! If a disguised hostile sneaks past you two bumbling morons, who knows what the consequences could be!" The senior guard eyes blazed with fury, causing the two chunin to shrink away.

"Now, hop to it, and do your jobs, or I'll find other chunins, and have them do it instead!" Fire was now being blasted out of his mouth with every word. "And I'll demote you two idiots to latrine duty!"

Izumo and Kotetsu nodded their heads so fast their faces became little more than a blur.

"Yes, sir!" They both shouted out.

The senior guard huffed, and walked away, muttering under his breath about lazy ninja.

Izumo sunk into his chair with a sigh of relief, followed by Kotetsu.

"Man. Why'd we have to get these jobs anyway? Couldn't it be something exciting at least?" Kotetsu complained.

It simply wasn't fair! He was just made a guard at one of the gates, without his say! It was complete and total bull...!

A hand smacked him roughly on the back of the head. Kotetsu gave a strangled cry, and turned to glare at Izumo. Said chunin was looking up into the sky with a dreamy expression.

"You don't understand Kotetsu..." Izumo's eyes suddenly began twinkling. "As tedious as it can get, being a gate guard is the best mission you can get as a Konoha shinobi!"

Kotetsu rolled his eyes, and smacked Izumo over the head, knocking him out of the trance.

"Sure. Right. Considering you were sleeping like a baby not a minute ago, you're not very good at guarding."

Izumo butted heads with Kotetsu, and shouted out.

"Oh yeah!? You were sleeping too!"

Kotetsu pushed back with a growl.

"At least I'm not a hypocrite like you!"

The two guards continued growling at one another until someone clearing their throat got their attention. Turning their heads to the side, they saw Kakashi there with one of his trademark eye-smiles.

"Hey guys. Mind letting me and my team in?" The two gate guards stared for a moment, before Izumo whispered out.

"How much of that did you see?"

Naruto, having managed to extricate himself from the trio of girls, much to their disappointment, appeared in front of the booth, an impassive look on his face.

"All of it. Do you mind opening the gates?"

The two chunin slowly nodded in unison, and exited the booth. They walked over to the side of the gates, where the winches that opened them were. Both chunins grabbed hold, and began pulling. With a few creaks and groans of wood and the rattling of chains, the gates swung open. Team 7, along with the two young girls following them, entered Konoha.

Saya looked around in wonder. This was where her Onii-sama lived? It was so big! But, why did the people all look like they were afraid of him? She glanced at her beloved Onii-sama. He didn't seem to care about the people who looked at him, even ignoring the people who glared at him hatefully.

Not knowing the answer, Saya decided to stop thinking about it, and hugged her Onii-sama. Naruto turned to look at her, and wrapped an arm around her. A smile grew on her face, and her hug became tighter.

Haku looked around in curiosity. Naruto-sama had told her that he lived in Konoha, and had a home in something called The Forest of Death. Idly, she wondered what Naruto-sama's house was like. He had mentioned that there were other people living there, his friends and loved ones, like Saiyuri. The ice girl turned to see Saya hugging Naruto-sama. He had said that Saya was his sister, and that she was like family to Haku as well.

All in all, she wanted to see Naruto-sama's home. Naruto-sama's friends would be nice to meet too.

Kakashi had said for Team 7 to return home while he gave the mission report to the Hokage. The genin would receive their pay either by mail, or by visiting the Hokage himself. With that said, Kakashi strolled off to the Hokage Tower, with nose buried in his Icha-Icha book. Sakura said her goodbyes to Naruto and Saiyuri, and walked away to her own home.

The hooded blonde stared at Kakashi for a few moments, eventually deciding to return to his own home, with Saya, Haku, and Saiyuri in tow.

**(Forest of Death)**

Naruto gave a grunt as his Brawlers all dog-piled him at once, little tails wagging all the while. By the time they got off of him, Naruto was covered head to toe in Brawler saliva. He twitched once, tendrils swarming over his body, before receding and revealing him to be in pristine condition, not a trace of drool on him. Sighing, he patted the nearest Brawler on the head with a small smile.

"Guess you all missed me, huh?" The Brawler he was petting stuck it's glowing orange tongue out, and flopped to it's side, hind legs kicking wildly. With a chuckle, he began scratching at the Brawler's stomach, much to it's enjoyment.

Naruto turned to see Saya approaching a Brawler with a hint of nervousness. She raised a hand to it's head, and slowly stroked it. From the way the Brawler reacted, by trying to push it's head further into the young girl's palm, it liked Saya.

Haku was off to the side, watching as another Brawler sniffed her curiously. After a few moments to memorize her scent, it began licking at her hand. With a smile, Haku began to pet the Brawler.

And Saiyuri, even though she was still human, had two Brawlers near her, each looking down at her shorter figure, each begging to be petted. And she was, and like the rest, the Brawlers all liked her.

Well, at least they weren't all at each others throats. In much the same manner as he felt affection towards subordinate Infected, it seemed all Infected naturally felt affection towards their own. Saiyuri, while still human, was considered friendly because of her close friendship with Naruto, that likely included Mikoto as well. Idly, he wondered where the...

Loud thumping answered him. A warm current of air brushed against his back. Turning, Naruto came face-to-snout with the Steamroller. It's two pairs of glowing red eyes locked onto his own. Then it licked him from waist to face.

A trio of feminine giggles from inside his head reminded him. He was going to remove Anastasia and Kushina from his mind, and back into reality. He admitted to himself it was nice to have three friendly voices in his head, their near constant teasing was driving him insane...er.

_'You know, I think I'll miss this place. It was so nice in here. No rain, no dark skies, just a peaceful forest.'_

_**'I agree. New York didn't have much in the way of trees aside from Central Park, but that pales in comparison to here.'**_

'Well, it's a good thing we all live in the heart of a massive forest then, isn't it?'

_'I suppose. Okay, let's go.'_

Two feminine figures stepped out of his body, each with around 160 pounds worth of biomass making them up. Kushina with very long, bright red hair that reached to her ankles, with a dark gray long jacket, armored bodice, and black spandex leggings, and Anastasia wearing a black leather jacket, with the same symbol on her back as Naruto had. There was a gray hood covering her dark brown curly hair, and a white dress blouse underneath, with blue jeans, and black urban loafers.

The two women stretched for a moment, getting accustomed to reality once more. Kushina was the first to speak.

"That's better." A small pout came to her then. "But now I can't tease Naru-kun as much anymore."

A small bead of sweat trickled down said hooded blonde's face.

Anastasia stretched for a few moments longer, before speaking herself.

"Oh well." She turned to Saya, whose green eyes were as wide as dinner plates.

"W-Wha?! Onee-sama!? You were living in Onii-sama?!"

Anastasia lightly chuckled, and walked over to Saya, kneeling down to her eye-level.

"Yes, I was. So was Kushina, your other Onee-sama." Saya tilted her head, and looked at Kushina. The crimson-haired woman was looking back at her, an oddly blank look on her face. She turned back to Anastasia, with a question.

"Um...Ana-onee-sama? Why is Kushi-onee-sama looking at me like that?" Anastasia raised an eyebrow, before turning her head to Kushina, who still had a blank expression on her face.

"Kushina?" The red-head quickly lost her blank expression, and rushed towards Saya, a grin on her face. She caught Saya in a hug, quickly nuzzling her cheek against Saya's own.

"You're so cute! I could see what Naruto saw, but you're so much cuter in person!" Her hug became tighter, and considering how Saya was blushing heavily, she was obviously embarrassed.

With a brief chuckle, Naruto decided to leave them, and head to the bunker. Mikoto had been here for a few days by herself, and he wanted to see how she was doing. Ignoring Saya's cries for help for her Onii-sama, Naruto strolled away.

**(Naruto's bunker)**

It took a few moments, but Mikoto was easy enough to find. The bunker had a few empty rooms, which Naruto turned into training rooms, The one Mikoto was currently in was equipped with targets for kunai and shuriken practice, or if he ever got around to it, a projectile formed from Bio-mass.

The Uchiha Matriarch was currently in her combat uniform, which consisted of light armor similar to those used by Anbu, only it was full-body. The armor plates themselves were a dark-gray, and covered her from the neck down, with bracers that went around her forearms, and full plate armor protecting her legs. Her raven hair was bound into a bun, and she was practicing with shuriken and kunai. From how all of the targets had either one of the projectile weapons in the bulls-eye, she had good aim.

Naruto silently creeped up behind her, and whispered into her ear.

"I'm home."

Mikoto acted accordingly. By giving a cry of surprise, whirled around and proceeded to bury the kunai in her right hand into Naruto's skull. Upon noticing who she just stabbed, Her onyx eyes widened in a mixture of horror and grief.

But Naruto didn't fall, much to her surprise. Rather, he mumbled under his breath, something about how sneaking up on women usually ended up with something sharp in his head. He reached up, grabbing the kunai by the ring, and pulled it out of his skull, with nary a stain on the small blade. Naruto looked at the kunai in his grasp for a few moments, before handing it back to a stunned Mikoto.

"Remind me not to surprise you anymore." He deadpanned. The wound in his hooded head vanished a moment after.

Mikoto eye's started welling up, and Naruto saw fit to stop the waterworks.

"No, please don't start crying. Look..." He pulled back his white hood, revealing his bright, blonde spiky hair, and fingered where the wound once was on his head. "See? I'm fine. Not even bleeding."

Thankfully, the tears gathering in Mikoto's eyes stopped. But, then an angry expression took hold on her face, and she swatted at Naruto's chest.

"Baka!" She bolted forward, wrapping her arms around him, the next few words muffled against his chest. "Don't scare me like that..." With a sigh, Naruto wrapped his arms around her, giving her a comforting squeeze every now and then.

'I really need to stop doing that.' Naruto thought to himself. Considering how the majority of his loved ones were trained soldiers, it wasn't a good idea to keep surprising them like that, because then things like this happen. He gets stabbed, and someone starts feeling guilty.

**'I still don't know how those two Uchiha can deal with you. I mean, they're still human. They still don't know your full capabilities.' **Kyara nonchalantly said.

'I don't know either. Hopefully, when I turn them into Evolved like Haku, they can get an inkling.'

**'About that, are they going to end up like her? Completely loyal to you?'**

'Hell no. Haku was my first attempt. And they already love me, no need to instill loyalty.'

**'Infecting them will still change them in some way. You know that right?'**

'Of course.' Kyara hummed slightly, before speaking once more.

**'Okay, I'm gonna get some rest. See ya.' W**ith that said, she closed the link.

Now that he could pay full attention to Mikoto, he released her.

"Sorry about scaring you." He adopted a slightly concerned expression. "How have you been? You were left alone for a few days."

The Uchiha Matriarch smiled lightly at Naruto.

"I'm okay. The Brawlers helped keep me from being too bored." Her smile grew wider as she remembered how playful the Infected creatures were.

Her eyes widened, however, when she remembered what a few Brawlers had done.

"There's something else though." Naruto raised an eyebrow, and Mikoto continued, starting to walk out of the room, asking Naruto to follow her.

"Some of the Brawlers brought back a few...puppies." She was stopped when Naruto gently grabbed her by the shoulder, turning her around to him. He had a confused expression.

"Puppies? Brawlers can't reproduce." Infection rendered living things completely sterile. So how were there...

Unless...

Yes.

The Brawlers were learning to infect to increase their own numbers.

"Mikoto, can you show me where they are?" She nodded, and continued walking down, Naruto following closely behind. She rounded the next corner, and opened a door on the right side of the hallway. Naruto could faintly hear the sound of flesh being ripped apart, and he walked in.

The first thing he saw was, what appeared to be, juvenile Brawlers tearing at the corpse of a deer. The baby Brawlers were on a bedding made of hay, and an adult Brawler, formerly an alpha female of a pack, watched over them, lying on it's side. The little things were rather voracious, as the deer they were feeding on was mostly skeleton, and not even bone was safe, considering how some of the larger puppies were gnawing on the bones of the legs, trying to get at the marrow.

Naruto stepped closer to the baby Brawlers, understandably shocked. Juvenile Brawlers? Were they once wild puppies, infected by a passing Brawler, and then taken back here? While it was a brutal act, this meant his Brawlers were capable of bolstering their own numbers.

He kneeled down, and closely observed one of them. Like the adult Brawlers, they had no lips, fully exposing their fangs, and possessed no nose, with the interior of their nasal cavity, as well as the septum being visible. They lacked fur, and other than simply being much smaller, they were identical to normal Brawlers.

Seeing that the infant Brawlers were starting to get low on food, the adult got to it's feet and lumbered over to a corner, where three more deer were piled up. Clamping it's jaw down on one, it lifted the corpse, and carried it over to the puppies, dropping it near the now fully skeletonized deer. The pups noticed their new meal, and scampered over, beginning to eat once more. The adult Brawler helped some of the runts who were lagging behind with a gentle push with it's snout, and lay down once more.

"Amazing..." Naruto breathed out.

Mikoto crouched down next to him, observing the little Brawlers with a smile.

"I know. These creatures you've made, they're doing more than learning. I think they're actually becoming something more."

Naruto turned his head to look at her, a look of excitement on his face.

"Yes, they are. This is only the beginning. Perhaps, with time, they'll be able to reproduce normally." He returned his gaze to the infant Brawlers. "I'll have made a new species."

Wouldn't that be nice?

**(A few hours later)**

Soon enough, life in the bunker returned to normal. Everyone returned to their daily routine, and Haku and Saya were given their own rooms, not too far from Naruto's own. While the latter stated that she wanted to sleep with her Onii-sama, the former didn't protest. Naruto had left the bunker just a moment ago, with a mission in mind.

Get to the sewers, and if necessary, eliminate any Infected there.

He likely wouldn't be able to control them, as they formed independent of him, and would likely be hostile to him. While Kushina and Anastasia wanted to join him, he turned them down, saying that he would be alright, and to help Haku and Saya familiarize themselves with the bunker. He assured them that he would return safe and sound. After being kissed goodbye by the both of them, he headed out.

Currently, he was standing above a manhole, ready to lift it, and enter the sewers. He was in one of the more sparsely populated sections of Konoha, with a little luck, no one would see him.

'I really hope I'm just being paranoid again. Because if I'm right...'

**'We have a big problem. You keep saying that.'**

'Because it will be a big problem. A huge problem. One that needed to be dealt with yesterday.'

**'Okay. If you need my chakra, just ask.'**

He nodded, more to Kyara than himself, and pulled the manhole cover up, placing it a few feet away. The fetid stench of the sewers wafted upwards. Rolling his neck once, he leaped down, letting a tendril close the manhole.

Whatever creatures resided here now, he had entered their domain.

Deep within the sewers, it was completely pitch-black. No light at all. Five glowing red eyes bloomed into existence.

The being's creator...was here. And it would wait for him. They had much to discuss.

* * *

**Naruto goes back to Konoha! And the very first major thing he decides to do, is eliminate any creatures the virus has created in the sewers! Make sure to review!**

**Internet cookies to anyone who can guess what was created in the sewers. And if you do figure it out, know that they will not be friendly towards Naruto. **

**So yeah. Read, review, all that jazz.**


	27. Chapter 27

_Chapter 27_

_The threat below_

"_Competition is a rude yet effective motivation..." -Toba Beta_

"Sentence." _-Speech_

'Sentence.' _\- Thoughts_

**'Sentence' **_-Kyara's/Kyuubi's mental dialogue_

"**Sentence." -**_Distorted speech._

* * *

With a thud, Naruto landed on the mossy stone that made up the floor of the sewers. With a blink, he switched from visible light, to infrared. With no artificial lighting here, he'd be blind. The world became a mixture of cool colors, like blue, purple, and black. Nothing with a noticeable heat signature, save for a few rats which scurried away from him, squeaking.

There was a few dead rats around, and Naruto walked forward, kneeling down. While true color was simply imperceptible, it wasn't too hard to see that the rat was partially eaten. He sincerely doubted a cat was residing in the sewers. The bite marks were unlike any animal's, if anything, they looked almost human. As Naruto reached down to pick up the dead rat, it suddenly reanimated with a shriek, and attempted to bite his fingers. He pulled his hand back, and observed the resurrected rodent.

It's eyes were glowing red, and three small barbed tendrils burst out of it's furred back. The rat reared back a tendril, and it loosed a small bony barb at Naruto. The hooded blonde caught the small projectile with two fingers, and proceeded to crush the rat with his free hand against the stone floor. Shaking the rotten paste off his palm, he examined the organic dart.

It was fairly small, only about four inches long. The point was rather sharp, and was serrated on one side. Overall, while it would hurt like a bitch, no serious damage would occur, unless it happened to find it's mark in the neck. Extracting the barb would slice apart the major blood vessels there, and the victim would likely exsanguinate unless the bleeding was somehow stopped.

**'So what, is it zombie rats that has you so worried?'**

Naruto sighed briefly. Kyara still didn't seem too concerned. He knew better though.

'I'm worried about bigger things. Rats were probably the first things that were infected. Who knows what the virus could have made down here?'

He tossed away the barb, and started making his way to the central hub of the sewers. It was where all the sewage flowed to.

**'I still don't know why you're going to so much trouble to clean this place up.'**

'Kyara, if Orochimaru managed to create Saya using the virus, who knows what else he created? If this place where he harvested the initial sample, I need to make sure that no one else can obtain the Blacklight virus. I don't need a damn global spread of Blacklight here.'

**'Okay, whatever you say. If you need me, I'll be taking another nap.'**

'Again? What is it with you and napping?'

A few quiet snores were his answer.

Rolling his eyes, he returned his attention to the tunnel in front of him. He'd seen a few human corpses strewn about, with a strange hole in their foreheads. Naruto was walking over to examine one up close. Kneeling down, he closely observed the small round wound. Whatever made them, it seemed to serve as an infector of sorts. An odd yellow fluid of sorts was leaking out of the wound, likely something used as a medium to transmit the Blacklight virus into a corpse.

Naruto took a step back as the corpse suddenly began twitching. He watched with curiosity as the body began changing, with the snapping of bone and tearing of flesh. The arms were forced upwards with a crack, and blades fashioned of bone burst through the palms. The spine and rear of the ribcage was pushed up through the skin, arching the back. The stomach was peeled apart, and what appeared to be a second pair of arms erupted through, pushing out the stomach and a few intestines, which hung loosely. The lower jaw split apart, and was formed into fangs along the edges.

With a growl, it leapt to it's feet, and began swinging it's blades around. Seemingly growing accustomed to it's body, the reanimated corpse momentarily looked to the bone blades that emerged from it's palms, and began moving it's arm, in a manner that resembled stretching. It suddenly stiffened, realizing it was being watched. With a hiss, it whirled around to Naruto, and growled again.

Naruto raised his fists. The Slasher stared with milky-white eyes, before screeching, and running towards Naruto, blades at the ready to slash him. Blue-silver eyes narrowed, and he leaned to the left, evading the wild swing of it's left bladed arm. He cocked his fist back, and punched it squarely in the forehead, bursting the skull, sending shards of bone and bits of liquefied rotten brain flying. The carcass staggered back, but it didn't fall. Blinded, it began swinging it's bladed arms in a frenzy in his general direction, with Naruto simply stepping to the side.

It moved past him, still swinging, until it's left blade made contact with the sewer wall. The bone snapped off, rendering the blade useless. The creature somehow managed to shriek in what seemed like pain, before Naruto decided to end it, cleaving it in half with a single swipe of his Blade. But even still, it still didn't die. Using it's lower arms, it tried to crawl back to Naruto, attempting to stab him with the remaining blade.

"Really? The fuck does it take to kill you?" Naruto said incredulously to the Infected creature. It responded by trying to pin his foot to the floor. Having had enough, Naruto gripped onto the mutated corpse's arm, and pulled. With a crunch, the shoulder was dislocated. The skin began to peel apart, and eventually, the entire arm was ripped off, the creature stilling.

'Dismemberment. That's how, apparently.' Naruto thought to himself.

**'Okay, I'll admit, whatever the hell those things are, they might be a problem.'**

'I told you so.'

**'Shut up. Are you going to kill them all?'**

'Only way to be safe. If I can't control them, and they start making moves on the general populace, A lot of eyes might start looking in my direction.'

**'You honestly think the villagers are going to try and blame you for an attack by these things?'**

'They blamed me for your attack. It wouldn't surprise me in the least.'

Kyara flinched at that.

**'Y-You're right. Sorry.'**

'It's alright. You're not to blame for how they treated me. They chose to scorn me. Just like I'll choose to let them all burn.'

**'Yeah. Let's continue.'**

Naruto decided not to consume the corpse. While consuming necrotic flesh wasn't unhealthy for him, he still didn't like it. He called upon Kyara's chakra in his right hand, a red aura surrounding it. Naruto pulled his hand back, and thrust it out towards the Slasher's corpse, the red chakra setting it alight in a scarlet fire. After a few moments, there was nothing but ashes left. He proceeded forward, making sure to remove the limbs of the remaining corpses before they could reanimate. The less of those things there were, the better for him.

He rounded a corner, and came to an interesting sight. A male human torso, fused to what appeared to be a growth of necrotic tissue. The blanket of rotting flesh covering the walls would occasionally pulse in some places, and gas of some type was expelled sometimes. The torso itself was in bad condition, having been separated from it's lower half messily, considering how the tear itself was jagged, and strips of skin, and a few strings of muscle hung from below. There was a large slit running up the chest, exposing intestine, which also hung limply. The rib cage, and what was left of the spine was exposed, as were the lungs and heart.

And the heart was still beating. Lungs still taking in air. Whoever this mutilated man was, they were still alive somehow. Naruto stepped forward cautiously, and could hear the unfortunate soul whispering, calling out to anyone.

"H-Help...It hurts...please..."

'Shit. I'm too late. They've already moved on to living people.'

**'Looks like it. Maybe this guy is the only living person they got so far?'**

'With luck, yes.'

Naruto stepped closer, and saw the intestines suddenly writhe. The man started screaming in agony, the sound echoing throughout the tunnel. And then the viscera suddenly began flailing, only serving to make their owner scream louder. His suffering came to an end when Naruto decapitated him with his Blade. The severed head fell to the stone floor with a thud, and blood gushed out it's neck, forming a crimson puddle. The hooded blonde stared down at the man's visage for a moment, before continuing forward.

**'My Kami. I thought some of the things you were capable of were bad, but this...'**

'I know. I believe he was meant to serve as a guard. Either alerting any Infected nearby, or attacking intruders.'

**'He was still alive though. I mean, what's the point of keeping him conscious through all of that?'**

'I don't know. And I don't care. I'm only here to kill whatever things are living here. He was just one of them.'

**'I guess. You've had an easy time so far.'**

'So far. I'm certain there are stronger types of Infected here. The one with the bone blades is likely just the most basic form. There may be dedicated assault types, waiting in the deeper parts of the sewers.'

**'Probably. I'm here if you need me.'**

'My shape-shifting should suffice here. It seems these creatures aren't capable of it.'

**'I'm just saying. Be careful, Naruto.'**

'I will. Don't worry.'

The tunnels had been silent, and empty for a while now. A large chamber was visible ahead, with the fleshy growth all over it's walls. This was the hub of the sewers, and where the leader Infected most likely resided. Naruto walked to the center of the round chamber, Claws at the ready. The small trenches where all the sewage flowed in led to the pit below, with small inlets carved into the stone platform he was standing on.

Naruto narrowed his eyes as he heard something arriving. It was big, considering the loud thumps it's footfalls made. He looked back to the tunnel he had entered through, and the source of the noise was visible.

It was immense, towering over him by a good two feet. The giant Infected was almost entirely covered in organic armor, either made of bone, or calcified skin. It moved in a similar manner to a gorilla, with it's massive armored arms supporting it's upper body. Comparatively, it's legs were small, but still coated in the armor. The joints of it's shoulders glowed a sickly yellow, showing up as a bright red in his infrared vision, and it's head barely even resembled a human's anymore. Like the rest of it's body, it was protected by the armor, and while it possessed two eyes like a human, that was where the similarities ended. What passed for it's mouth was an array of tendrils, which flopped around with every step it took.

The Brute roared at Naruto, and suddenly charged forward. Naruto jumped to the side, Claws screeching against the stone. For as big and bulky the Brute was, it was fast. He exchanged his Claws for his Blade on his right arm, and Musclemass on his left. If the Blade couldn't penetrate the armor, or the possible vulnerabilities on it's shoulders, he'd have to bulk up himself. Twenty tons of biomass was recently added to the storage seal on his chest, adding up to over twenty five tons with the biomass he already had. The Brute likely only weighed around three tons at maximum.

The Brute skidded to a stop before it plowed into the wall of the chamber, and turned with a deep growl. It stood up on it's legs, and beat at it's chest, before charging once more with another roar.

Naruto narrowed his eyes, the shoulders were likely the only vulnerabilities it possessed. It's armor extended fully around it's body. Just as the Brute was about to slam into him, he leaped over it, and swung for it's shoulder in mid-air, his Blade cleanly slicing through it's right shoulder. The arm dropped off, and twitched for a few moments, while the Brute's charge was halted, as it fell forward, having lost one of it's major load-bearing limbs. The Brute slid along the ground for a few moments, before crashing into the concrete wall.

The wall caved in around the Brute's head, until the entire wall fell, burying the Brute in a pile of rubble. It was still for a few moments, before a furious roar and the Brute bursting out of the rubble broke the silence.

While it was missing an arm, it didn't mean it was incapable of attacking. It got up on it's remaining arm, and it's armored stomach suddenly opened.

The new cavity convulsed, before a glowing yellow fleshy sphere was launched at him. Naruto dashed to the side, just as the organic orb hit the floor. It pulsated for a moment, before exploding, sending a glowing yellow corrosive fluid in all directions. A few drops of the acid splashed against Naruto, causing him to growl in annoyance and start shaking off the acid.

While it wasn't painful, it was starting to eat away at him. A small amount of black biomass started leaking out of the holes burned into him. The cavities knit shut, and he glared at the Brute, crimson starting to bleed into his eyes. The Brute bellowed, launching another organic bomb at him.

With a sneer, he caught the yellow orb in a Clawed hand, and rushed at the Brute. It raised it's remaining arm, intending on crushing him against the ground. He side-stepped the massive fist, the stone cracking underneath the Brute's missed attack. Spinning, Naruto unleashed a round-house kick that struck the Brute squarely in the head, knocking it onto it's back. The pulsing bomb in his hands was about to detonate, and with a snarl, Naruto shoved the bomb back into the Brute, and gripping onto both sides of it's chest, pushed, forcing it shut.

The Brute writhed about, reaching for him with it's remaining arm. Naruto, with an annoyed growl, shifted his left arm into his Blade, swung, aiming for the enraged beast's glowing yellow shoulder. The armored limb was cleaved off, flopping to the stone floor limply. The Brute underneath him roared in rage, before the organic bomb stuck within it's chest detonated. The armless Brute trembled in what may have been pain, as the acid began leaking out of it's chest. It gave one last feeble growl, before stilling.

Naruto glared down at the now, hopefully dead, Brute with blood-red eyes, before letting go of it. He tensed, raising his Blade just in case. When the Brute didn't even so much as twitch, he stepped away with a huff.

"I'll say this, whatever the fuck you guys are, you don't give up." He admitted, with a hint of respect. Sure, he would kill every single creature created by Blacklight that was here, but that didn't mean he wouldn't try and recreate them. With dismemberment apparently being the only way to effectively kill them, the Brute currently melting into a puddle behind him notwithstanding, these...Necromorphs, as Naruto decided to call them, might be good in very close quarters. Shinobi were trained to attack either where vital organs were, or where the victim was likely to bleed out from, like the chest, or neck.

As the Necromorphs were basically walking corpses, with bodies morphed to make killing easier, a stab to the chest wouldn't make them so much as flinch. Anyone they killed was also a potential new Necromorph. While he had yet to make contact with the Necromorph responsible for infecting corpses, he'd likely learn how to create one, once he consumed the leader of the Necromorphs.

After burning the corpse of the Brute, he glanced around the chamber, scratching his hooded head in slight confusion.

Where was the leader? There was simply no way the Brute was it. Like the Slasher, it seemed nothing more than an animal, just bigger and angrier. The wall behind Naruto warped slightly, and a completely alien being stepped away from the wall.

It was very tall, around eight feet, and had dark brown, smooth skin. It's arms possessed numerous joints, and ended in three long claws. It's head was attached to it's body by a stiff, short neck, and had no facial features aside from the five glowing red eyes spread on the outside of it's face. It's body was bulky, and muscular, and the structure of the ribcage was clearly visible, the bones pressing against the skin from within. Like the Slasher, it possessed two limbs at it's abdomen, though rather than hands, it was simply two arms that ended in spikes. Like the rest of it's body, it's legs were thick, and muscular, and ended in three broad toes, which it walked on.

It raised it's right arm, ready to spear Naruto through the chest. It thrust it's clawed arm forward.

But Naruto knew that the creature was behind him, having heard it's footsteps. It was certainly very quiet, but not quiet enough. He spun on his heel, deflecting the claws with his Blade, sparks flying, as the claws screeched against the organic steel.

Five glowing red eyes met a pair of blue-silver.

"Well now...You must be the leader then. Do me a favor, and just die. Pretty please?" Naruto did his best to be diplomatic. Considering how the five-eyed creature responded, he didn't do too well. It raised it's other arm, and attacked once more. Naruto leaned to the right, letting the clawed arm sail past his head, and using his own Clawed left arm, made an upwards swipe, amputating the limb.

The five-eyed creature didn't respond to the loss of it's arm, and jumped backwards. Then a most curious thing happened.

What appeared to be steam started to leak out of the stump where it's right arm used to be, until the arm started to regenerate. Within only five seconds, the arm was back, claws and all.

Naruto took on a combat stance, Blade on his left arm, Claws on his left. He narrowed his eyes, and awaited the next attack. But it never came.

Naruto and the Ubermorph stared each other down. Both prepared for the other to start combat.

Armor started growing over Naruto's body. His human features gave way to smooth black chitin, and a wide, fanged maw. He reared his head back, and roared, trying to goad the Ubermorph to attack. If Naruto currently had eyes, they would have narrowed into slits, for the Ubermorph still refused to attack first. Like him, it was tense, legs spread out, and clawed arms pulled back, ready to slash, or impale.

Naruto eventually stopped roaring, and closed his maw as much as he could. He raised his Blade, and dashed forward.

The Ubermorph would die today.

Konoha was his domain, not it's.

He was the top of the food chain here.

And the Ubermorph, would be his meal.

The Ubermorph raised it's clawed arms, and starting running forward.

It's creator would die.

It would take Konoha from him.

And Naruto, would be a feast for the Necromorphs under it's control.

Both Infected leaders met in the center of the chamber.

The battle had begun.

* * *

**And the Necromorphs are here! Yep. I've never actually played Dead Space, mainly because I'd need a new pair of pants after every single jump scare. So yeah. Make sure to review!**

**And before any reviews start popping up, I'll just answer them before hand.**

**When Naruto said he would let Konoha burn, he meant that he wouldn't lift a finger to protect it if were to be attacked. He cares absolutely nothing about revenge, because it won't take away the pain that Konoha made him feel. It would just be a pointless slaughter.**

_**But wait! Isn't Naruto supposed to be getting better? Isn't he gaining a conscience?**_

**Yes, he is. Will it mean he'll stop killing? No. Will he feel guilty about killing? Again, no. **

_**Hold up! He apologized to Tsunami! He felt bad about infecting Haku! He felt guilty! **_

**Yes, he did. But not because he was really sorry. Guilt is an annoying thing. It claws at your chest, and it just sucks to carry around. Now imagine this. A mass murderer suddenly getting a conscience. Naruto doesn't like the feeling of guilt, and only apologized to Tsunami so he could make the incredibly annoying sensation of guilt, go away. **

**Haku was different, though. Even Alex Mercer had his limits, after all, in CANON, he felt utter contempt for the original Mercer, for what he had done in Penn Station. Naruto is a big fan of the concept of free will, and having basically turned Haku into a slave (albeit one who he treats fairly, because he's a nice guy when it comes to that, and also due to the instinctual protective feelings he gets when around his subordinate Infected) is something that gnawed at him. But as you read in previous chapters, he got better.**

**Naruto is still a killer. He still cares almost nothing for human life. The only thing he truly cares for, who he truly loves, are his girls, and his Infected. He just won't laugh while he beats you to death with your own torn off leg. But he'll still do so with a completely straight face.**

**Okay, I'd continue, but my fingers are getting numb. If you have questions, ask me in the reviews, or just PM me. **

**Now where's my bag of ice?**


	28. Chapter 28

_Chapter 28_

_Creator vs Creation_

"_Beware; for I am fearless, and therefore powerful..." -Mary Shelley_

"Sentence." _-Speech_

'Sentence.' _\- Thoughts_

**'Sentence' **_-Kyara's/Kyuubi's mental dialogue_

"**Sentence." -**_Distorted speech._

* * *

A frustrated roar echoed throughout the sewers. The clashing of blades resounded through the tunnels. Every Necromorph had come to watch, almost a hundred of them. A majority were Slashers, and there were at least three Brutes amongst the rotting crowd. Others were different, like the Pukers, with acidic saliva dripping down from their mouths, ravaging their bodies, leaving the neck and chest filled with acid-eaten cavities. Another type was the Leaper, with their human jaws split apart, formed into fanged mandibles that slathered endlessly, their legs having fused together into a single powerful tail, with a sharp blade fashioned of bone at the tip.

All awaited the command from their leader, the Ubermorph, to jump in, and begin attacking the rival Infected leader.

And if the Ubermorph were to perish, if their leader were to die in this power struggle, they would bow before the victor. For he was the strongest.

The rival leader growled, barely keeping his fury under check. It didn't seem to matter whatever wounds he inflicted upon his accidental creation, for they would simply regenerate. Immediate consumption wasn't an option either, for it seemed the Ubermorph was capable of boosting it's regenerative powers, such so that it's regeneration outpaced his consuming.

Naruto managed to cleave both it's legs off with a single swipe of his Blade, only for the Ubermorph to begin crawling towards him, burying it's claws into the stone floor, and pulling itself along, towards him. He raised an Armored foot, and stomped down on the Ubermorph's head, reducing it to mere paste and bone fragments.

But still, the Ubermorph didn't stop. Steam jetted out of the stumps where it's legs once were, until the bones of the legs suddenly shot out, growing before his eyes. Muscle regrew, forming itself into long cords of muscle fiber. Once the muscle was finished regenerating, dark brown skin began forming, until it's legs had returned. The same process occurred for it's head. First, a skull with an oddly geometric face, a pentagon, with five eye sockets around it's edge, and with no jaw to speak of.

The regeneration process was interrupted when Naruto gripped onto the Ubermorph's shoulders, with Musclemass enhanced arms. He opened his fanged maw wide, roaring directly into the bony face of the Ubermorph, before rearing back his Armored head, and drove it forward into the bare skull of the Ubermorph. The bone stood no chance against the thick chitin of his Armor, and the skull caved in around his head. The Ubermorph stumbled back, Naruto having let go of it. It staggered for a few moments, before collapsing onto it's back, twitching all the while.

'It can heal a severed limb easy, but if I use blunt attacks, it takes a lot longer to repair the damage done.' Naruto realized with a triumphant growl.

He had found the Ubermorph's weakness. Slicing off a limb was simplicity itself for the Ubermorph to heal. But a blunt strike? Which shattered and snapped bone, it made healing the damage much more complex and strenuous.

Naruto was about to leap forward, bury his Blade into the Ubermorph's chest while it was stunned, and consume it alive, but it seemed the crowd of Necromorphs weren't pleased at seeing their leader hurt. The first to attack were the Leapers, two jumping at Naruto with a howl, mandibles pulled back, ready to sink into him.

He turned around, facing the Leapers. With the way they were flying at him, they would crash into one another if he simply took a single step forward. Naruto did so, and watched as both mutated corpses slammed into each other in mid-air, their bladed tails tangling together, the two Leapers bounced along the stone floor, before coming to a halt, thanks to the nearest sewer wall. Seeing the opportunity, Naruto ran towards the Leapers, the tip of his Blade dragging along the stone floor, creating an ear-piercing shriek, and making sparks fly in his wake.

Naruto hopped into air, and slammed the Blade down at the base of the two writhing Leaper's tails. They loosed a series of squeals and screeches, now freed from each other. The two Leapers managed to crawl away from each other, before going limp.

The Armored Prototype ducked as a globule of yellowish-green acid sailed over his chitinous head. A few drops of the acid managed to get onto his Armor, and sizzled for a few moments, before evaporating into corrosive fumes. Naruto glanced down at his Armor, to see a few small holes burned into them. Nothing to be really concerned over, so long as he didn't let himself get a faceful of the acid.

Grabbing the two severed tails with his left Clawed hand, he whipped the twined tails at the Puker responsible for the acid attack, the sharp bones cleaving the corroded skull off it's shoulders. Blinded, the Puker stumbled backwards, only to lose it's legs with another crack of the make-shift bladed whip, A stream of acid flowed out of the stump of it's neck, as the Puker tried and failed to get back to it's now absent feet, eventually ending with the mutilated Necromorph stilling.

'Kyara! Give me your chakra! It's time to end this!'

The vixen nodded, and her chakra began to flow into Naruto's body.

He growled gutturally, feeling his fangs grow slightly longer, and gain serrations along the backs, his Blade and Claws becoming serrated as well. Nine luminous red eyes shined through the black Armor of his face, before nine circular disks of Armor slid away, revealing them. Blood-red chakra began to surround his form, with what looked like a tail forming behind him.

Naruto gave a thunderous roar, feeling the intense power flowing through him. The Biomass within him was strengthened as well, and roiled within him, itching to burst out from him. And it did.

Countless tendrils, with glowing red veins, erupted out from him, all with a target in mind. Every single Necromorph surrounding him was impaled, and they _ignited._

The light from the scarlet fire bathed the tunnels in crimson, and the screeches, growls, roars, and howls of the burning Necromorphs echoed throughout the tunnels, even being heard from above, the cacophony being faintly heard through a majority of the manholes in Konoha.

Eventually, none of the Necromorphs, save the Ubermorph, were left. Just a large pile of ashes, and charred pieces of bone. Nothing would be obtained from the remains. The Tendril Barrage having been successful, they all began winding back into Naruto, and receded into his form. The Armored Jinchuuriki focused nine blazing red eyes onto his accidental creation, just as it fully healed.

The now fully-recovered Ubermorph staggered to it's feet, and gave a telepathic command for all the Necromorphs to attack. But nothing happened. Confused, it looked around, and realized. Every single Necromorph it had created, that it had nurtured into the killers they were meant to be, were all dead.

Something foreign began welling up inside it. Having never needed them, emotions were something it never felt. It could not name the emotion it was feeling, but it knew that it now wanted it's creator destroyed now, more than ever. Throwing caution to the wind, it charged forward, overwhelmed by the nameless emotion. The Ubermorph raised a single clawed arm, intending on tearing it's creator asunder.

It never got close. Naruto stepped to the side as the now enraged Ubermorph sailed past him. In it's fury, it was incapable of slowing down, and crashed into the sewer wall, it's clawed arm burying into the stone. The Ubermorph struggled to get it's arm out, and felt Naruto's Clawed fingers wrap around it's skull. He brought his fanged maw close to it's head, and he hissed out.

"**You made a mistake encroaching on my territory. The villagers of Konoha are my prey. Not yours." **

Naruto proceeded to slam the Ubermorph's head into the wall, dazing it.

"**You were a mistake. Never meant to be."**

Once more. The sewer wall had a large crater within it now.

"**I created you."**

A third time. The Ubermorph's geometric head was starting to crack, and shattered bone was poking out of it's flesh.

"**So too, will I destroy you."**

The fourth, and last time. The Ubermorph's head was splattered against the stone, Naruto letting go, and allowing to fall back. He raised an Armored foot, and stomped down on it's chest, shattering the ribcage, and burying his foot ankle-deep into it's chest. The flesh felt squishy, and slick underfoot. A few tendrils emerged from his ankles, and began consuming the Ubermorph alive. While it was blind, and lacking a head, it was still conscious.

It felt itself disappearing, and in it's agony, it writhed, legs kicking, clawed arms swinging, desperate to free itself. At least, until it's legs and arms were consumed. The last thing it felt, was the sensation of probing tendrils burrowing into it's shattered skull, and then...oblivion.

The Ubermorph now consumed, Naruto gripped at his head in pain. Instructions on how to create Necromorphs, the mechanics behind the organic bombs of the Brute, and the Ubermorph's own memories were shoved into his mind.

_**It was damp. Dark. Granted, since it currently didn't possess eyes. It started to feel itself being eaten by something. It responded by engulfing the small furry thing. It's form shifted, until it was one of those small things. Now with vision, it looked around it's surroundings, but it couldn't describe it. It didn't know how. **_

The pain grew, and Naruto fell to a knee, clutching at his Armored skull. He could faintly hear Kyara shouting, asking if he was alright, but he couldn't respond. It hurt too much.

_**It had been a few years now. The entity, for it had no name to call itself, was now currently within a roughly humanoid form. Two reverse-jointed legs, and two thick, multiple-jointed arms tipped with Claws. Five glowing red eyes enabled it to see. It had chosen this form, after managing to consume an Oto shinobi, assigned to spy on Konoha, the village in which it resided. It could remember it's creator now. His name, was Naruto.**_

The Armor receded into Naruto's body, and he had collapsed forward, gritting his teeth, and trying his best to wait out the initial surge of memories.

_**Naruto was here. He was intending on destroying everything it had created. No. Not if it had anything to say about it. It had contemplated allying with him, but realized that Naruto would view it, and it's creations as competition. It made a decision. It, and it's own creations would attack him, and once he was dead, it would take Konoha for itself. Perhaps, even the world. And maybe, once done here, onward, to other worlds.**_

Naruto growled deeply, and he began punching at the floor, causing cracks to spread out around him. Anything to stop the agony.

_**It was over. All of it's work, destroyed. Why? Why did it's creator do this? It had never been hostile to him, never made itself known to him. Why did he seek to destroy it? Emotions were deemed unnecessary by it, having learned how to feel by consuming living humans. It never felt anything yet however, as it never found a reason to. But it felt something now. What was it called? Yes...Rage. **_

The hooded blonde could scarcely think straight. Damn it all, he hated this! It hurt like a fucking bitch!

_**It had failed. Naruto was standing over him. It could feel itself being consumed. But it wasn't angry anymore. Yes, being consumed was painful, but, it also meant that it's existence could come to an end. It had failed in killing Naruto, and that meant all future plans had failed as well. Now without purpose, it accepted death. At least, it's creator would be the one to kill it. It was almost poetic. Darkness overcame it. **_

**'Naruto! Can you hear me!? Naruto!' **Kyara screamed as loud as she could.

With the pain now gone, Naruto managed to get back to his feet. He rubbed at his forehead, grimacing.

'Ow. That fucking hurt like hell.'

**'Are you there?! Naruto!'**

Naruto flinched as Kyara's yelling within his head triggered a short burst of pain.

'Ouch! Yes, I am! Perfectly fine! Stop yelling!'

He heard the vixen give a quiet sigh of relief, and the faint sound of bedsheets being moved around.

**'Thank Kami. I couldn't do anything to help you at all, and you were screaming so loudly...'**

'Screaming?'

**'Not in reality, but in here, you were screaming.' **She sniffled slightly, brushing away a tear that had the audacity to begin forming in the corner of her eye. **'You were in agony...I was so scared...'**

He sighed heavily, and began to walk out of the central hub, stepping over the large ring of ashes that surrounded it.

'Well, I'm okay now. Please don't start crying. I have absolutely no idea what to do when someone's crying.'

He heard Kyara make a sound somewhere between a giggle and another sniffle.

**'Really? You handled Saiyuri pretty well.' **She smiled, and Naruto felt phantom arms wrap around his neck gently. He would swear he felt invisible tears dripping onto his shoulder. **'I think you could deal with me.'**

Naruto inwardly scoffed.

'Don't start now.'

Kyara's quiet giggling helped soothe him somewhat. Naruto reached a ladder that would lead up to the street above. So as not to draw too much attention, he climbed up the ladder, and pushed the manhole cover up, and slid to the side. Placing both hands on either side of the manhole, he pulled himself up, and once he was on the street, grabbed the manhole, and put it back.

Naruto had a lot of research to do. A few experiments with corpses to see if he could reproduce the Necromorphs, as well as finding out a way to use the organic bombs in combat effectively. With his bunker in mind, Naruto strolled off, hands in his pockets.

Hopefully, the bunker wasn't too damaged by Kushina's childish, yet endearing antics.

Maybe.

* * *

**Naruto defeats the Ubermorph! Well of course he would! He's the protagonist! So yeah. My own personal opinion, Necromorphs vs. A Prototype = lots of dead Necromorphs. Next chapter, Naruto will be heading off to war, in Kiri! Make sure to review!**


	29. Chapter 29

_Chapter 29_

_Off to the Mist_

"_The true soldier fights not because he hates what is in front of him, but because he loves what is behind him..." -G.K Chesterson_

"Sentence." _-Speech_

'Sentence.' _\- Thoughts_

**'Sentence' **_-Kyara's/Kyuubi's mental dialogue_

"**Sentence." -**_Distorted speech._

* * *

Naruto was lying on his bed, with a sleeping Saya resting on his chest. He idly stroked her long dark green hair, smirking in amusement as she started wiggling around, a soft smile on her face. The young girl had walked in, obviously sleepy, and after yawning, asked him if she could sleep with him. Naruto had nodded, and she proceeded to collapse onto his chest, much to his surprise.

He eventually shrugged, and let her sleep. Consuming the Ubermorph was a treasure trove of knowledge, from how Necromorphs were created, as well as how to control what Necromorph was created. There was also the matter of the organic bombs used by a Brute when it loses a limb. Apparently, the actual explosive was a compound of methane and hydrogen, two flammable gases. The compound was diffused in an all-purpose acid, capable of corroding both organic and inorganic material.

Like the organic jets, the explosive compound was ignited with a bio-electrical discharge, the acid was similar to seawater, in that it was electrically conductive, and the bomb detonated, showering anything within a thirty-foot radius with acid.

Naruto was contemplating on how to utilize the organic bombs himself, he already had the bomb itself, he just needed something to deliver it to an enemy. An organic cannon? Perhaps.

Making a Necromorph was actually rather simple. Just introduce the Blacklight virus to a corpse, and presto. A Necromorph, of his choosing.

From how the Necromorphs behaved in the sewers, Naruto had predicted they would be extremely aggressive towards non-Infected, or Infected not of their hive. But, it seemed that was only because the Ubermorph had given them those instructions. The Necromorphs that Naruto could create were usually docile unless ordered to attack. They weren't friendly like ordinary Infected were towards him, or his girls, but at least he could count on them to not kill every living thing in sight.

Any further thoughts about the new Infected Naruto could create were banished when the door swung open, revealing Kushina, her long red hair swaying as she walked into the room with a smile.

Naruto raised his head, to look at Kushina, accidentally rousing Saya, who awoke with a pout.

"Kushina? What is it?" He asked, hooded head tilting to the side. Kushina took a seat on the bed, smile still on her face.

"I've been thinking." She said cheerily.

The hooded blonde raised an eyebrow.

"About?" Where was she going with this?

Her smile faded slightly, before returning.

"What happened in Nami?" There was concern in her tone, and she turned her head towards him. Her blue-gray eyes were shining with worry.

Naruto sighed heavily, resting his head back against the pillow. He brought his right hand up to his forehead, in an effort to stem the growing headache.

"Saya, why don't you go play with Miko-chan?" He asked. "Not that way!" He quickly added, raising his index finger for emphasis. Saya's pouting wasn't enough to change Naruto's mind, eventually nodding, and getting off the bed. With a smile, she skipped out of the room, closing the door behind her.

Kushina watched her go with a wistful expression. Naruto, feeling her emotions through the telepathic link, sat up, and gently laid a hand on her shoulder. She leaned into him, scooting closer. Taking his hand off of her shoulder, he brought it up to the back of her head, caressing the blood-red strands of hair.

"What's wrong?" He whispered. Naruto had a feeling he knew what it was, and if so, he was here for her.

Kushina lightly sniffled, and buried her face into his shoulder. When she spoke, her voice was starting to break with emotion.

"I...I'm just thinking, of what it would b-be like, if I hadn't..." Soon enough, she could speak no more. Bitter tears flowed out of her clenched shut eyes, making Naruto's shoulder feel somewhat wet. The hooded blonde sighed deeply, and wrapped his free arm around her. In return, Kushina's arms shot around Naruto, gripping tightly.

It seemed he was right. Kushina was having thoughts of what could have been. A life with her beloved son, where she raised him. Where she could be a mother.

Kushina began sobbing, the sound muffled by Naruto's shoulder. Said hooded blonde's hug grew tighter, in an effort to comfort her. It worked somewhat, as her sobbing grew a little quieter. He leaned down, his lips next to her ear.

"What happened at Nami, was what happened every single time I lost control." He breathed out. "The virus takes over for a moment, and I get booted into the deepest part of myself. My soul." Kushina stopped sobbing, and lifted her head. Her cheeks were flushed, and her eyes red, and puffy from her tears. She locked eyes with him, begging silently.

_What else?_

He took his hand off the back of her head, and gently trailed a finger down her cheek.

"It wasn't good there. Hellish. I simply can't describe it to you, and don't ask for me to show it to you, because I won't. The incident at Nami, something different happened. There was another person there. A visitor." The red-haired beauty tilted her head in confusion, and quietly spoke.

"Who?"

Naruto closed his eyes, and pressed his forehead against Kushina's. He re-opened his blue-silver eyes, making sure to look directly into Kushina's own blue-gray.

"The Rikudou Sennin's brother." It must have sounded funny, considering Kushina started to giggle near silently. Her amusement faded when she realized Naruto wasn't joking in the least. Her eyes widened. He continued.

"He helped me regain control, and begged me to destroy the world. Something about fixing his and the Rikudou Sennin's mistake, or some shit like that." Naruto began to grow slightly angered. "I'll be honest. He, and his dipshit of a brother can go fuck themselves. World's dying as we speak anyway." He closed his eyes, and slowly exhaled through his nose, calming himself. "Anyway, I went through some trials and tribulations, which ended up with me freeing my 'light'..." Four tendrils emerged from his shoulders, bending to mimic air quotes, before receding back into Naruto. "Which probably represents what remains of my humanity, not that I give a single flying fu..."

Naruto was silenced when Kushina laid a finger across his lips.

"Okay, that's a little weird, I'll admit. What about when you infected Haku?" She asked. Naruto was starting to get a little irritated, so she may as well change the subject somewhat. Naruto shrugged, and answered with a completely straight face.

"Remember Elizabeth Greene? She survived being consumed some how, was transferred to me, where for shits and giggles, she weakened my self-control. So in return, I forced her to eat off her arms and legs, and killed her. She's dead now. Very dead hopefully." His face twisted in disdain. "Bitch was crazy as hell, and kept calling me her son." When Kushina's grip suddenly tightened further, he returned his attention to her, and leaned his head back at what he saw.

Her red hair was moving around as if it had a mind of it's own, and her features became wreathed in shadow, leaving only blank white eyes visible, as well as the rather off-putting sight of glowing white needle-like fangs, arranged in a pattern that resembled a mad grin.

"**She did what?" **Kushina's hair suddenly wrapped around Naruto's neck, pulling, and forcing him closer to Kushina, until all he could see was those glowing fangs. Naruto could distinctly feel Kushina's rage through the telepathic link, and hurriedly responded.

"S-She's dead now! She is as dead as dead can get! Soul, mind, and body, all gone!" He wasn't certain if he was afraid, but Naruto knew for certain that he wanted to be as far away as he could be from Kushina when she got angry.

The enraged red-head, thankfully enough, let go of Naruto, and her features returned to normal. She had on a beatific smile, and her eyes were closed.

"Good!" She chirped out. Kushina leaned in, kissing Naruto on the lips, pulling back before he could respond. "Only one woman is allowed to call you sochi, and that's me!" She poked a thumb into her chest for emphasis. Kushina got off the bed, and began walking out of the room, speaking one last time before she exited the room.

"Oh yeah. I'm going to go tell everyone in the bunker about what you said." Giving a peace sign, along with a cheeky smile, she opened the door, and strolled out.

And Naruto?

He was currently lying back down on the bed, a hand brought up to his forehead.

**'So that's what happened.' **Naruto stiffened upon hearing the dangerous tone in Kyara's voice.

'Um...I can explain.'

**'No, you can't. I recommend you prepare yourself. I'm not the only one who's gonna be angry.' **And with that, she closed the link.

Uh-oh.

He was in trouble.

Shit.

**(A few hours, and a beat-down later)**

"Ow..."

"That's what you get for keeping secrets, dattebane!"

"I...was...just...trying...to...protect...oof!"

"We don't need protection! But you definitely could have used some when you got your kaa-san angry!"

"Urgh..."

Naruto was currently lying face first on the ground, having been been beaten into a pulp by his infuriated mother. Maybe, he could have survived, if Anastasia hadn't taught Kushina how to shape-shift. Kushina's punches hurt. They hurt a hell of a lot more when enhanced by Musclemass.

Said red-head, was standing over him, steam blowing out of her ears. Her hair wildly writhed about, and her eyes were a blank white.

"I mean, honestly!" Punctuating the enraged yell with a kick to Naruto's side. "You don't keep secrets from the people you love!" Another kick. "I understand you were trying to spare us the worry, but still!" One last kick.

A few pained groans from Naruto were her only warning, before he managed to pull his head out of the small crater it had made when Kushina smashed her fist onto the top of his head. Kushina started to calm down when Naruto managed to get back to his feet, bringing a hand to his head.

If anything, Naruto could recover from her anger a lot better than Minato could.

Said hooded blonde, turned to Kushina, and spoke.

"Alright...You made your point." He momentarily flinched as he remembered the fist that floored him. "Very well, if I may add. I won't keep anymore secrets. And, I'm sorry. Truly." There was an undertone of pain in his voice. The punches themselves didn't hurt. Kushina's own anguish, which he felt clearly through the telepathic link, did hurt. A lot.

'Well shit. I feel like an ass. Again.'

**'You got your punishment.'**

'Yep. I deserved that. All of it.'

**'I wouldn't go so far as to say that. Oh, by the way, incoming.'**

'Whuh?'

Kushina tackling him to the ground in a hug, was apparently what Kyara was warning him about. With a cry of surprise, he was returned to the concrete floor of the mess hall with a thud.

"I didn't enjoy that, just so you know, koi..." Kushina's whispered into his ear. "And the rest of the girls forgive you, too."

In response, Naruto returned her hug, and whispered back.

"It's okay. I deserved every single punch, and more." He sighed deeply. "I hurt you. I hurt all of you. And I hate that. I hate seeing any of you in pain, and it's only worse knowing that I caused that pain."

"I know you do, Naruto. But this is just how relationships are. Usually, someone does something the other doesn't like." Kushina lightly chuckled. I imagine it's a lot worse for you, since you have, what, seven women who you love, and who love you back?" She released a sigh of her own. "You make mistakes. That's alright. Besides, you had our best interests at heart. That's one of the things I love most about you, sochi-kun..." Kushina gained a teasing grin. "Aside from your big, long..."

She was muffled when Naruto placed a hand over her mouth, and looked at her in exasperation.

"Seriously? You go from actually good reasons to love me, to the size of my penis?" He let his head drop to the concrete floor, and said, more to himself, than Kushina.

"I am surrounded by perverts. Ju...Just perverts everywhere." His complaint ended when he noted something.

"Oh well. At least, they're all very attractive women."

**(Somewhere in Suna...)**

Jiraiya sneezed loudly, and let out a mental curse. Damn it! The Kazekage's daughter was in the hot-springs, and she was another blonde bombshell! There was also this kunoichi with two toned hair, dark green with orange tips, who had a bust to match that of the other busy kunoichi in Kumo! The perverted Sannin was about to beat a hasty retreat, until he found himself suddenly rooted in place. He looked down towards his ankle, only to realize with horror that a tendril of sand was wrapped around it.

"Who are you? Actually, I don't care. Mother is screaming for your blood. So bleed." Jiraiya, in his terror, wasn't able to determine the gender of the person speaking, and loosed a high-pitched scream as a veritable tsunami of sand cast a shadow over him.

**(Back in the Forest of Death)**

'Why did I feel so satisfied all of a sudden?' Naruto thought to himself in confusion. Shaking his head, he banished the thought.

"Okay, this is nice and all, but I'd like to get back up now." Kushina nodded, and got back to her feet, helping Naruto up.

The hooded blonde clapped his hands together, and started walking out of the mess hall.

"Right then. It's time to head to Kiri. You ready, Kushina?" Said red-head nodded, and spoke.

"Yes. We're bringing everyone?"

Naruto nodded, the both of them now out of the mess hall, making their way to the exit.

"What about turning Mikoto and Saiyuri into Evolved?" Kushina asked.

Quickening his pace somewhat, Naruto responded.

"They'll have to wait for some time. I can turn them in Kiri." The two stopped near the exit, and Naruto leaned against the concrete wall. "Kushina, head back, and tell everyone to prepare. You'll all need to conceal your identity." Kushina nodded, and crossed her arms.

"What about you?"

Naruto cocked his head, and tendrils swarmed over him. When they receded, his appearance had changed significantly.

He was wearing an entirely black trench coat, which reached down to his ankles, the coat closed, concealing anything underneath. Black military fatigues, similar to the type used by Blackwatch, and black combat boots were his lower attire. To conceal his face, a similarly black helmet, combined with a double-filtered gas mask. The lenses were blood red, and glowed slightly. When he spoke, his voice was distorted, and crackled, as though he was speaking through a radio.

"**I have my disguise here." **Naruto leveled his concealed eyes with Kushina's. **"My alias will be Jupiter." **He got off the wall, and Naruto opened the exit door, revealing the Forest of Death outside. **"Make sure to fill everyone in. A detachment of Brawlers, and three Hydras will follow us to Kiri. We leave at midnight."**

With that said, he walked out, and closed the door. Kushina went to work gathering the others, and Naruto called the Infected who would follow him to Kiri.

If Mikoto were still considered a Clan Head, he'd have to leave a Bio-Clone to take her place. Thankfully, enough, that status was revoked with the slaughter of the Uchiha. The ground rumbled underneath Naruto, as three Hydras proceeded to burst out of the ground in front of him.

Hydras were the Infected giant carnivorous earth-worms, one of the more deadlier species in the Forest of Death. They were rarely seen, as they preferred to prey on larger meals, like the giant tigers, or centipedes that shared the Forest of Death. When Infected they underwent numerous changes.

For one, they grew much larger. A normal earth-worm would usually reach a maximum of 16 feet long. Hydras were usually over 25. Hydras were also much more intelligent, using the environment around them to attack, usually by picking up large boulders, and tossing them at enemies, alternatively, a bladed tongue, often longer than the Hydra itself, would be launched out of the Hydra's beak, and spear enemies, with the tongue winding back into the Hydra's beak, with the unfortunate organism impaled on it.

If needed, the beak itself could be used as a weapon, the Hydra running through an enemy with enough force to penetrate one foot of solid steel.

The appearance of a Hydra was rather frightening. Their bright red bodies were skinless, and seemed made entirely of muscle, with a few blood vessels strewn about. It's head consisted of a bony beak, tapering to a point, which opened horizontally.

The three Hydras screeched, awaiting orders. Numerous thuds next to Naruto, alerted him of the presence of the Brawlers accompanying him to Kiri. He turned his head, and saw at least twenty of the Infected dogs. A large group, leaving behind five Brawlers to defend the bunker. The alpha, signified by the metallic spikes on it's back, as well as it's larger size, roared, also awaiting orders.

"So we're going to Kiri?" Saiyuri said from behind him. Naruto turned, and saw everyone grouped up, including Saya, and Haku were garbed in long, hooded black cloaks.

Naruto nodded, and the eyes of his gas mask glowed a little brighter.

"**Yes. We're going to Kiri, to obtain the DNA from kekkai genkai wielders, and if possible, secure an ally in the form of the new Mizukage."**

Saiyuri hummed lightly, stepping closer to Naruto. He raised an eyebrow, not that anyone would have seen it, and once Saiyuri was close enough to Naruto, she proceeded to punch him in the arm as hard as she could.

"**Ow."/**"Ow!" Both Naruto and Saiyuri said/shouted. The latter hissing in pain, trying to shake away the numbness in her hand. Saiyuri glared at Naruto, enhanced with the Sharingan.

"Why'd you keep secrets from me!?" She yelled out. Letting loose a metallic groan, Naruto brought a hand to his mask-clad face.

"**Can we please deal with this later? I do have a civil war to participate in."**

Saiyuri turned away from Naruto with a huff, rubbing her injured hand. He wouldn't get away scot-free, not if Saiyuri had anything to say about it. She wouldn't hurt him, of course, not in malice, at least.

Naruto took a step back as Saiyuri started giggling madly, Sharingan glowing crimson all the while. Electricity began crackling up and down her body, showing off her powerful Raiton nature.

"**Okay, anyway..." **He returned his attention to the rest of his group. **"Let's go. Kiri awaits us."**

The Brawlers and Hydras all roared and screeched.

The Bloody Mist?

It was about to get bloodier.

* * *

**Zing! Off to war they go! Make sure to review!**

**If you didn't like how Naruto let himself get beat on by Kushina, please. Direct any and all death threats to the sovereign nation of Idontcare, in the state of Fuckyou, and the county of Eatshit, and the city of And, and P.O box of Die. Got it?**


	30. Chapter 30

_Chapter 30_

_Welcome to the Bloody Mist_

"_Give a man a mask, and he'll tell you deeper, and darker truths. But he'll also be more abusive, unaccountable, and demonic..." -Cory Duchesne_

"Sentence." _-Speech_

'Sentence.' _\- Thoughts_

**'Sentence' **_-Kyara's/Kyuubi's mental dialogue_

"**Sentence." -**_Distorted speech._

* * *

The moon hung in the sky. Stars twinkled. Currently, it was around midnight.

The trip to Kiri wasn't too long. At maximum speed, a Brawler was capable of just over sixty miles per hour. A Hydra burrowing through the ground could reach speeds of over seventy miles per hour. Naruto, Kushina, and Anastasia, were capable of over ninety miles per hour at full sprint. Saya and Haku were capable of sixty-five miles per hour.

Most branch-hopping ninja were could only move at just thirty-five miles, and obviously, could only branch-hop so long as there were trees around. On flat ground, the average shinobi could normally reach twenty-five miles per hour, going up to thirty-five by pumping chakra into their legs.

This represented a minor issue, as Mikoto and Saiyuri, yet to become Infected, would slow down the group. So Naruto proposed an alternative.

"HA-HAH! THIS IS SO MUCH FUN!"

Namely, the two Uchiha piggy-backing on someone.

Saiyuri on Naruto, and Mikoto on Kushina.

They were enjoying it. Surprisingly enough.

Naruto was smiling underneath his gas mask, and took a moment to look behind him, chuckling at the sight.

Saiyuri was hanging off of his neck, looking as though she was flying, with her body parallel to the ground. She had her mouth open, her cheeks flapping as air flowed in. Her long raven hair was blowing in the wind, overall, making for a hilarious sight.

He looked to his left, to Kushina, more specifically, to Mikoto hanging likewise off of her shoulders, the Uchiha Matriarch in a similar position to her daughter, minus the bulging cheeks, as she simply had a big smile on her face.

Like himself, Kushina was smiling in amusement.

Naruto looked to his right, to see Anastasia looking ahead. But considering the small smirk on her face, she found the Uchiha's reactions to be funny too.

Naruto's smile quickly faded as the islands of the Land of Water came into sight. There was a thick fog hanging over the archipelago, concealing Kirigakure itself, the village situated on the largest island. Zabuza's memories would help him navigate around the islands, but Naruto currently did not know where the rebels were based.

The masked blonde narrowed his eyes. He'd have to find, and consume Loyalist shinobi, see what they know. Digging his heels into the ground, he skidded to a halt, leaving behind two small trenches in the soil in his wake. Kushina and Anastasia did the same, with the Brawler pack, lagging behind somewhat, taking a few moments to get to their leader's position. As the Hydra's were currently a few dozen feet underground, Naruto was only certain of them halting their motion through the telepathic link he shared with all of his Infected.

He shrugged his shoulders, silently asking Saiyuri to get off him. She did so, wobbling slightly on her legs, as the limbs had grown a little numb over the journey. Naruto turned his masked head to Kushina on his left, seeing Mikoto letting go of Kushina, now standing firmly on the ground.

Naruto turned, and addressed his entourage.

"**Alright. We're here." **He crackled out. **"See if you all can find somewhere for us to reside for the time being. A cave, or something similar." **Naruto turned back to Kirigakure, the fog having cleared up somewhat, revealing the village in the distance. **"I'm heading over to Kiri. Get some intel." **He turned back around. **"Everyone got their orders?" **His girls all nodded, pulling the hoods of their cloaks over their heads, concealing their features. Likewise, the Alpha Brawler growled out affirmatively, and after looking around for a few moments, picked a direction, and started sprinting away, followed by the rest of it's pack.

The cloaked women all glanced at Naruto one last time, before running in the opposite direction the Brawler's went. Naruto observed their retreating forms for a scant moment, before looking back towards Kiri.

Rolling his neck, he started making his way to the village.

A genin would suffice for now, through one of them, he could identify higher-ranking shinobi, and track them down.

All he needed now, was to find a genin.

**(Fifteen minutes later, in Kirigakure)**

A thick fog hung over the village. The streets were mostly empty, save for the occasional Kiri shinobi lingering around. A few grizzled veterans, with rough scars on their faces, made by the Kaguya's failed attack on the village a decade prior, narrowed their eyes at a very tall stranger meandering around the village.

The unknown was garbed in an all-black outfit. A long closed trench coat, hanging down to his ankles, and black leather gloves covering his hands. His lower attire was strange, and foreign. What looked like boots modified for combat were his footwear, and he wore fatigues similar to the kind used by Anbu, but with many more pouches and pockets. The trousers were also longer, reaching down to his ankles.

The strangest, and admittedly, unnerving thing about the stranger was what he was wearing on his head. A black helmet, combined with a double-filtered gas mask. The lenses were a blood-red, and _glowed._

One particular jonin, his face marred with what appeared to be acid burns, stepped up to the stranger, a sneer on his mutilated features

"Hey, pal...the fuck you doing out here?" A blood-thirsty smirk split his scarred face apart. "Don't you know there's a curfew?" The jonin chuckled darkly, and stared upwards into the red lenses of the gas mask. "The punishment for breaking curfew can be decided by a presiding jonin..." There was an unspoken threat hanging in the air.

The masked stranger tilted his head to the side, the lenses glowing brighter for a moment.

"**My apologies..." **The stranger monotoned, speaking through the crackling of what may have been a radio. **"I was just looking for a bar nearby." **The stranger stopped tilting his head, and crossed his arms over his chest, staring directly into the arrogant jonin's eyes, the Kiri shinobi instinctively backing away. A primal voice screamed at him then, to look away, to run as fast as he could away from this masked stranger. **"You wouldn't happen to know where the nearest one would be?" **The stranger leaned in closer, the lenses glowing ever brighter. **"Do you?"**

Swallowing lightly, the scarred jonin summoned his courage, and responded.

"Uh...Sure thing pal..." He raised a lightly trembling finger to a building just to the left. "That's the C-Crimson Watering H-Hole over there..." The jonin cursed himself for his stuttering. "I'll...um...introduce you...I guess..."

Much to the jonin's relief, the stranger moved back, and motioned towards the small bar.

"**Lead the way..."**

The scarred jonin nodded shakily, and started walking towards the Watering Hole, followed closely by the stranger.

'What the fuck?! No footsteps, no breathing, what the fuck is up with this creepy asshole!?' The jonin seethed inwardly. Just by looking at the masked stranger, he felt a pit form in his stomach, as though he were looking at something entirely unnatural. 'Fuck it! I'll get this guy to the Watering Hole, and get the strongest drink for myself, Kami knows I don't want to remember this!'

Hopefully, the hangover wouldn't be too painful...

The jonin swung open the doors, and the interior of the Crimson Watering Hole was revealed. A few prostitutes hung off of the male patrons, seated at the booths at the far end of the bar. They were scantily clad, and attractive. Not that Naruto cared. One working girl apparently saw him as a good mark, and sauntered up to him, hips swaying.

"Oh my..." She breathed out, pressing herself against him. "You're a big one, aren't you?" The hooker placed a hand on his chest, slowly trailing it down. "I'm all yours, hon, for a few thousand ryo..." She teasingly put a finger into her mouth, erotically suckling it.

Naruto wasn't impressed in the least, and gripped the call girl's wrist, harshly pulling it away from him. The woman gave a startled yelp, and Naruto proceeded to grab her roughly by the back of her head, forcing her to make eye-contact with him.

She gave a fearful whimper as she stared into those crimson lenses. She could see a faint reflection of herself in the glass.

The hooker was a pretty little thing. Short orange hair that fell around her head. Full lips, with pink lip gloss. Her complexion was mocha brown, and she had hazel eyes.

"**I'm not interested. I care nothing for such carnal desires." **With that, Naruto placed both hands on her shoulders, and pushed her away, the call girl stumbling back. **"Find someone else."**

She quickly nodded, and retreated into the back of the bar.

"Wow...You're kind of...violent..." The scarred jonin quickly regretted his comment, as Naruto swung his gaze to him, glaring red lenses rooting him in place.

"**I am. You would do well not to draw my ire any further." **The disguised blonde took a seat on a nearby stool, and rested his arms on the wooden counter, waving away the jonin. **"You can go now."**

The jonin growled for a moment, before Naruto leveled him with another glare. Cowed, the jonin walked away, to the far side of the counter, taking a seat. From the glower on his burned face, he wasn't happy in the least.

Now that he was left alone, for the most part at least, it was time to locate a target. Naruto looked to either side, identifying the two men beside him as mere civilians. Nothing special. The bartender drew his attention, and Naruto looked forward.

The bartender was a fairly attractive young woman, with blue hair that cascaded down to the middle of her back. She was wearing a fairly modest outfit, a simple short-sleeved black shirt, and brown trousers. Her eyes were a light red, almost pink. Her features were likewise attractive, with thin eyebrows, long eyelashes, and a small nose. Her lips were thin, and decorated with bright red lipstick. The woman looked at him with a practiced smile, entirely false.

"Hey there. What can I get you?" She said with a professional tone.

"**Sake."**

The woman's false smile faded somewhat.

"What kind? Not really a mind-reader here."

Naruto stared at her, and the woman got the feeling he was getting slightly annoyed.

"**Surprise me."**

She nodded, and Naruto could faintly hear her grumble under her breath about rude masked dickbags. Not that he cared in the least. The drunk on his left turned to him, and Naruto was briefly thankful that his biomass-formed gas mask actually worked.

"H-Hey...ya dushe..." He slurred out, his eyes unfocused. "Dat..._fine_ woman disirves bettah den dat..." With that said, he keeled over, falling back off of the stool, with a loud thud. Naruto heard the still sober man on his right, sigh heavily.

"I knew that was going to happen."

The masked blonde turned to him, and the man clarified.

"That guy is practically married to booze, always drinks himself into a stupor at any bar he visits." He briefly looked down at the passed out drunkard, a hint of pity on his face. "I almost feel sorry for the poor bastard."

Curiosity overcoming him, Naruto questioned him.

"**What happened?"**

The man sighed once more, nursing the bottle of beer in his hand.

"He lost his entire family to the Kaguya attack ten years ago. Hasn't been the same since." He downed the rest of the alcohol in one gulp, slamming the bottle down on the counter. "We all lost someone that day. And the Kaguya?" He chuckled bitterly. "They were wiped out. Not that it did any good. It didn't bring back the dead." The man sighed yet again, and after resting his arms on the counter, placed his head down. "I'd talk some more, but I'm sleepy." And with that, he closed his eyes, turning his head away from Naruto.

The masked blonde nodded to himself, and awaited his drink. The bartender was taking her sweet time. The doors suddenly swinging open drew his attention, and he turned his head to the entrance of the bar.

A new arrival it seemed.

She was a fairly young woman, with long dark red hair, with her hair tied in such a manner that two tufts of hair jutted upwards into the air. There was a hitai-ate on her forehead, with the Kiri symbol on it. The red-haired woman looked around, a shark-like grin on her face, made all the more effective with her sharpened teeth, having been filed to resemble jagged shark teeth. Her eyes were black, similar to an Uchiha's. She wore a loose fitting cream shirt, with black pinstripes kept closed with a black obi, with black pants that flared out at her feet, resembling hakama, with striped leg warmers.

Naruto swiftly identified her as Ameyuri Ringo, one of the last Swordsman of the Mist, as the rest had either perished, or betrayed Kiri, and became members of the rebellion. Ameyuri stopped looking around, her gaze firmly locked onto Naruto. She smirked, revealing her sharp teeth, and she walked up to him. Naruto didn't look away, and Ameyuri seemed to be impressed at that.

"Well now...A newcomer." She took the vacant seat on his left, stepping on the drunkard's limp body along the way. Naruto never took his eyes off of her. Ameyuri quietly chuckled, and raised a thin red eyebrow. "Oh? Am I so beautiful, you simply can't look away?" In response, Naruto affected a chuckle, and looked away.

"**My apologies. It's not every day I see such a stunning young woman." **Ameyuri was rather obviously, a high-ranking ninja, possibly one of the Mizukage's most trusted. Consuming her would be a windfall.

The young swords-woman giggled lightly. She always enjoyed her time off. And she could easily say this mysterious masked stranger was a charmer. Idly, she wondered. What did he look like under that mask of his?

"You're laying it on a bit thick, aren't you?" Ameyuri lidded her eyes, and whispered out. "What? You wanna get down and dirty?"

Again, Naruto chuckled, continuing the act.

"**Perhaps. You do look rather lonely. Such a beauty deserves attention."**

The swords-woman giggled once more, why was she feeling so hot all of a sudden? Ah well. She could at least have some fun with him.

"Okay, then..." Ameyuri leaned in close, and whispered. "Follow me..."

Naruto nodded, and once Ameyuri got up from her seat, he did the same. Her hand brushed lightly against his, asking a silent question. He answered, by gripping onto her small hand with his own larger, gloved hand.

She smiled lightly, and started walking away, Naruto following. They exited the bar, and started walking towards where Ameyuri lived.

Back in the bar, the bartender returned, a bottle of premium sake in her hands. If the masked man was going to be so rude, she'd make him pay for it at least. Only...he was gone.

The blue-haired woman growled deeply. Damn it! That masked shithead made her waste her time! With an angry huff, she returned to the storeroom.

**(Meanwhile...)**

Naruto did his best to make Ameyuri feel relaxed, mainly by swinging their connected hands together. She responded well, laughing, and grinning. He could see a small apartment complex ahead, probably with only about two floors, maybe six rooms at maximum. Hopefully, she lived alone. It would make things much easier for him. She let go of his hand for a moment, fishing a key out of her pocket. Ameyuri walked ahead, bending over, making certain that the curvature of her rear was fully visible. She made a show, lightly jiggling and pretending to struggle with unlocking the door.

Eventually, the lock was disengaged with a soft click, and Ameyuri swung the door open. She turned back to Naruto, a sultry smile on her face.

"Well?"

Naruto walked forward, and took Ameyuri's hand in his own. He gently brought it up to his mask, pretending to kiss it.

"**Please...ladies first." **He crackled out, making certain to put a teasing tone in his voice. Things were going well. All he needed now, was to get Ameyuri out of sight. Then...feast.

Said swords-woman's smile grew, and she stepped in, swaying her hips all the while. She turned her head, and called out.

"Apartment three, ground floor. See ya there..." Ameyuri blew a kiss at him, and sauntered off to her apartment.

**'Why consume her?'**

Naruto blinked at hearing Kyara's voice. The vixen had been silent up until now.

'What do you mean?'

He faintly heard Kyara sigh, before she clarified.

**'Just turn her into an Evolved. Get a sleeper agent in the Mizukage's ranks.'**

The disguised blonde walked in, making his way to Ameyuri's apartment.

'Now that I think about it, that would be a good decision. Get a Swordsman of the Mist on my side.'

**'See? I have another idea.'**

Naruto stepped into Ameyuri's apartment, closing the door behind him. The place was surprisingly quaint, with deep blue walls, and a few pictures strewn about, most of the Swordsmen of the Mist gathered together. Ameyuri called out for him from another room, the door slightly ajar.

'Lay it on me.'

**'See if you can drug her. Make it easier to infect her.'**

'Sounds good. A mixture of aphrodisiac and tranquilizer would be good. Perhaps in an alcoholic drink. I see a few empty sake bottles around.'

**'Why the aphrodisiac?'**

'It won't be enough to make her aroused, just to relax her.'

**'Oh. She's calling you, by the way.'**

Indeed, it seemed Ameyuri was growing somewhat confused. She poked her head out, her long scarlet hair unbound, falling to her waist.

"Hey, where are you?"

"**I'm in the kitchen. You thirsty?"**

'Huh? What is he getting at?' Ameyuri thought to herself. She invited the masked man for hot coffee, not for...hot coffee.

Unless...He was a romantic! He wanted to make her feel comfortable before laying with her.

A small smile grew on her face. She strolled out of her room, practically naked with what little she was wearing.

White, lacy lingerie, consisting of stockings, a garter-belt, and a cup-less brassiere, exposing her rosy red nipples, almost fully erect.

Ameyuri headed to the kitchen, seeing Naruto apparently mixing a cocktail. He seemed a professional, making a show of rolling the mixer across his shoulders. She stared for a little while longer, mesmerized by his good reaction time, and balance. Eventually, he stopped, placing the mixer down on the kitchen counter. He tilted his head, and turned around.

"**My, my." **He brought a gloved hand to his masked chin, and hummed in approval. **"I'll be honest. You look fabulous."**

Slowly, a blush came to Ameyuri's cheeks. Naruto snickered at just how cute she looked. She covered her bust for a moment, not used to being complimented so much.

"U-Um...Thanks..." When Naruto trailed a gloved finger down her cheek, she closed her eyes, and leaned into him.

"**I made a drink for you. My own special recipe." **Ameyuri looked back up, seeing the now soft blue lenses of Naruto's mask. They were so calming... She shuffled lightly, and asked.

"R-Really? What a-are the ingredients?" Ameyuri was somewhat curious. This man was an enigma, something she truly wanted to unravel. She had a feeling she'd love what was underneath that mask of his.

Naruto shrugged, idly rubbing Ameyuri's exposed back, tenderly massaging any knots he found. Considering the quiet moans from Ameyuri, she was enjoying it.

"**I mixed some of the sake you have together, and put my own unique additive." **He snaked a hand up her flat, toned stomach, brushing against the underside of her large bosom.

"Ha...ahn...can I try some..." Ameyuri released another blissful mewl. "Haaan...This is g-great and all..." She hissed lightly as Naruto's clothed erect member grazed against her lower lips. "Mmm...But I'd like some...

Naruto removed his hand from her back, and before she could release a whine, lightly pressed a gloved finger against her lips. Ameyuri met the glowing lenses of his mask with a half-lidded gaze, before lightly suckling at his finger, making soft slurps and moans all the while.

"**Of course..." **Much to her displeasure, Naruto ceased his ministrations, causing Ameyuri to release a quiet whimper. She shivered lightly, now that Naruto's warmth was robbed from her, causing her nipples to become rock-solid. Naruto returned with a shot glass with a pink liquid inside. He handed it to her, and Ameyuri took a moment to sniff it, releasing a pleasant sigh at the sweet smell. She tilted her head back, and downed it, expecting it to burn, like any other alcoholic drink.

But much to her surprise, it was very sweet, almost sugary. It tasted oddly like bubble gum as well. The lingering aftertaste was even better, tasting of strawberries, her favorite fruit. Ameyuri swayed lightly.

"W-Wow...That's...strong." She giggled drunkenly. "I'm already tipsy..." A flush grew over the bridge of her nose, spreading to each cheek.

When Naruto suddenly lifted into a bridal carry, she responded with a startled squeak. Casting a light-hearted glare to Naruto, she lightly swatted him on the chest.

"You Casanova!" Ameyuri snuggled into Naruto's chest, loving just how warm he was. He carried her to her room, and closed the door behind him using a tendril, Ameyuri was drunk, sedated, and her libido was heightened, so he could afford to use minor shape-shifting. Almost lovingly, he laid Ameyuri down on the soft mattress, the young woman moaning lightly. She looked to Naruto, looking as though she was about to fall asleep.

"W-Wait..." She whispered out. Slowly, she raised a hand, placing it against the gas mask that concealed Naruto's face. "Can I see your face? Please?" There was a hint of weakness in her tone. A tear slowly began welling up in the corner of her left eye.

Naruto nodded, and took off his helmet, laying it down on the night table next to the bed, exposing his bright spiky blond hair. He reached to the back of his head, and unclasped the gas mask, slowly taking it off of his face. He placed the mask next to the helmet, with the lenses facing upward.

Once his features were revealed, Ameyuri's blush took over her entire face.

'O-Oh my Kami...' He must have been an angel. Never had she ever saw a more handsome man. Spiky hair as bright as the sun itself. Unblemished skin that was whiter than snow, only marred by the six whisker-like scars on his cheeks. His eyes were a wonderful blue-silver, and they glowed brightly, in the darkness of her room. His jawline was strong, yet narrow, and his nose was sharp, regal. Like his skin, his lips were pale, making him look somewhat like a corpse, but that didn't bother her in the least.

"T-Tenshi...?"

Ameyuri's breathless whisper made Naruto chuckle for a moment, with the now unmasked blonde placing a warm hand on her forehead. She gave a euphoric shuddering sigh, as a few drops of nectar flowed from her womanhood.

"Not quite. Though you will consider me one."

'Huh?' Ameyuri thought to herself. What did he...

_**Pain.**_

She gave a strangled cry, as Naruto's Clawed hand moved within her chest. Ameyuri felt what could only be described as molten metal flow into her heart, and spread out through her body. She would have screamed, if Naruto didn't muffle her with a hand over her mouth.

"Shh...shh..." He gently shushed her. Even as tears of pain, and terror began flowing out of her eyes. She couldn't fight back. The drink. It made her weak. She couldn't even call up her chakra...She gave a muffled yelp as more of the burning fluid was pumped into her. Her tormentor leaned in close, until their noses touched. All she could see, were those glowing blue-silver eyes.

"Don't worry. This isn't death you're feeling." His eyes started to turn blood-red. "This...This is life." His eyes were a solid glowing red now, and the world darkened around her, until those glowing red eyes were the only thing in existence.

"**A new...and wonderful life. By my side."**

Ameyuri couldn't even speak anymore. It just hurt too much.

"**The pain will fade. And soon enough, you won't remember it. Can you feel it?"**

Wha...?

Wait...Why was she so afraid? Her angel was here. He had fallen from grace, for her.

"**Do you remember now? How I saved you?"**

Yes...He saved her. She was dying...a disease...it couldn't be cured. She prayed, and prayed, and then...He came.

Her savior.

"**Yes. I saved you, Ameyuri. Gave you a family. You have so many sisters now..."**

A family...Ameyuri never had one. She was a war orphan, her parents having been killed in one of the many civil wars in Kiri. She couldn't even remember their faces. But then, Naruto happened. He took her under his black wing, alongside so many others he saved. Her sisters...all of them. She felt the softness of multiple feathers around her. His wings.

"**Rest now. You're tired. I'll be right here."**

A yawn came to her. Naruto's winged embrace grew tighter.

"_**I'll always be here. Ameyuri..."**_

"_**Always..."**_

Yes...he would always be with her...

Her _Daten-shi..._ **(Fallen Angel)**

Naruto looked down at Ameyuri's sleeping form, a soft smile on her face. A similar smile was on his face. No guilt. No little voice telling him what he did was wrong.

It was fantastic.

Naruto leaned down, gently caressing Ameyuri's cheeks, trailing his fingers down her soft features. His newest Evolved gave a tender, quiet mewl, nuzzling against his hand. Naruto carefully crawled into the bed, wrapping his arms around her thin waist. She turned, pressing herself as much as possible against his body.

"Naruto..." She breathed out his name. There was nothing but love, and affection in her voice. Naruto's smile grew, and he palmed the back of her head with his left hand, pushing her head against his chest, he buried his nose into her silky hair, and took a single deep breath.

Strawberries.

He closed his eyes, and started nodding off.

**'That's another Evolved you have now.' **Kyara idly noted.

'Yes. Ame-chan will help spy on the Mizukage for me. As a loyal member of the Seven Ninja Swordsmen, she might be one of his more trusted shinobi, thereby, privy to more sensitive information.'

**'Sounds good. Hey..." **There was curiosity in her voice. **'How'd you get her so relaxed at the bar? I thought most shinobi are supposed to be naturally paranoid?'**

'Heh. Remember my telepathic abilities?'

**'Wait, so you...brainwashed her or something?'**

'Not quite. I'm nowhere near powerful enough to control someone with thought alone, but I can alter some things, like inhibitions. It takes a lot of time to do so, however, and I need to be entirely focused on my target.'

**'So basically, you made her be less careful?'**

'Yes. In the most simplest of terms.'

**'Are you insinuating something?'**

'What? No. Can I get some rest now?'

**'Hmph.'**

'Kyara?'

**'…'**

'Erm...okay then...um...good night!'

She didn't respond.

Uh-oh.

Maybe, when he awoke, she wasn't too angry.

Hopefully.

**(Tomorrow morning...)**

When Ameyuri awoke, it was to the sight of the person she loved above all else.

_Naruto..._

It seemed he woke up at the same time she did, as his blue-silver eyes were open, and stared directly into her own onyx eyes. She gave a soft smile, and kissed Naruto on the lips, the blonde responding immediately.

Before things got too hot and heavy, he pulled back, much to her disappointment. There was a faint blush across her cheeks, and she panted lightly, eyes lidded in desire.

"W-Why'd you stop..." Ameyuri whined out. It was just getting good! Naruto briefly chuckled, tapping her lightly on the nose.

"We have business to do. You know that."

She nodded, and let go of Naruto, idly raising a finger to her slightly tingly nose. The whiskered blonde got out of bed, and grabbed his gas mask, clasping it over his face. The lenses momentarily glowed red, before becoming blue. He then grabbed his helmet, placing it over his head, concealing his bright blond hair. Naruto then turned back to Ameyuri, who was starting to get out of bed. The sheets that once concealed her lingerie-clad figure were gone, fully revealing her attractive form. Her rosy red nipples, once more exposed to the slight chill of her apartment, slowly started to become stiff.

"N-Naruto? You're s-staring..." She whispered out, feeling incredibly embarrassed. Naruto blinked, and walked forward, trailing a finger down her jawline.

"**Well, you are a work of art. I could stare all day."**

Ameyuri blushed demurely.

Naruto clapped a gloved hand on her shoulder.

"**As amusing as it is to tease you, Ame-chan, It's time for you get to work." **The lenses of his gas mask briefly turned red, before returning to blue. **"I trust you know your mission?"**

The blush on the swords-woman's face faded away, and she gave a stiff nod.

"Yes. My mission is to spy on the Yondaime Mizukage, Yagura, and return to you daily with the information I have gathered." She droned out.

Naruto hummed approvingly, before taking his hand off her slim shoulder. Ameyuri returned to normal, smiling at Naruto.

"Okay! I'll get dressed." Smirking, she batted her eyelashes at him. "Unless you want a free show..."

The masked blonde waved away her teasing.

"**It's okay. If you need me, just call out for me. I'll be there."**

Ameyuri nodded once more, and Naruto walked out of her room, closing the door behind him.

Idly, Naruto wandered off to the living room. It was fairly small, fitting for someone who lived alone. He sprawled himself across the couch, crossing his arms.

Last night was good. Another Evolved was made, and even better, said Evolved was one of the most renowned kenjutsu users in the Ninja World. Zabuza had at least journeyman status in a majority of different swords, but he really only excelled in zanbatous, like the Kubikiribocho. He pumped a small amount of chakra into one of the new storage seals he had inscribed on his right palm.

That was another new thing. Just before leaving Konoha, Kushina had come to him, offering to teach him everything she knew about sealing techniques. His interest was piqued when she mentioned she was working on a seal that would help him distort his chakra signature, meaning he would be able to freely use jutsu without fear of a sensor getting a bead on his signature. She had mentioned that the seal would be completed tomorrow, she had said that yesterday, so hopefully, the seal was ready for him now.

A knock at the door drew his attention. Narrowing his eyes, he turned his right index finger into a Claw, and hid it behind his back. Naruto strolled up to the door, and after unlocking the first deadbolt, shifted into a perfect replica of Ameyuri. The disguised Naruto opened the door partially, the door only kept from being fully opened by the chain lock.

It was the rude bartender. Blue hair, light red eyes. She smiled at Ameyuri, or at least, who she thought was Ameyuri.

"Hi, Ameyuri. Can I come in?" Naruto filed away the fact that this bartender apparently was friends with the actual Ameyuri, and 'Ameyuri' nodded, closing the door, and removing the chain lock. 'Ameyuri' re-opened the door, and motioned for the as-of-yet unknown bartender. Her smile widened, and she stepped in, walking forward until she took a seat on the small couch, 'Ameyuri' taking a seat next to her.

The bartender wiggled in the seat for a moment, trying to make herself comfortable, before turning to 'Ameyuri'.

"So Ameyuri, how have you been?"

'Ameyuri' raised a thin red eyebrow.

"Fine. What about you? I heard you had a bit of trouble at the bar."

The bartender scowled.

"There was this masked asshole. He made me go all the way to the back, where I was going to get the most expensive bottle of sake I could find, and when I come back...!" She threw her hands up in the air. "The fucker was gone! He just up and left!" The blue-haired woman growled deeply. "I swear, if I see that dickbag again..."

'Wow. And I thought I had anger issues.' Naruto noted inwardly.

The bartender would have said more, but the real Ameyuri called out.

"Naruto! Who did you let in?"

Naruto got the pleasure of seeing the bartender's face twist in horrid realization, before he clamped his now gloved hand on her neck, with enough force to rob her of breath. Glowing scarlet lenses glared a hole into the bartender's eyes.

"**I believe you called me, a 'dickbag'." **He crackled stood up, dragging the woman he was strangling along with him. He walked to the nearest wall, bartender in his grasp, and slammed her into the wall, lifting her up.

"**Name." **He droned out. The bartender glared at him defiantly, prompting him to whirl her around, and smash her face into the wall. **"I said..." **He reared back her head, until he could see her now bruised face. **"Name. Now."**

She groaned in pain, before managing to summon the strength to speak.

"K-Konno..." The now identified Konno weakly whispered out.

Naruto nodded, and called for his newest Evolved.

"Ame-chan. Do you know this woman?"

The red-haired swords-woman walked out of her room, now dressed in her usual outfit, hair now bound again. She looked to Konno, and her eyes widened in delight.

"Konno-chan! When you'd get in?" Konno momentarily looked at Ameyuri in disbelief. Couldn't she see what this masked douchebag was doing to her?!

"**I see. She's your childhood friend?" **He had gained all of Ameyuri's memories during her Infection, but he was just beginning to process them now.

Said red-haired swords-woman nodded.

"Yep! We're best friends!"

Naruto hummed lightly.

"**Ah. Ame-chan, do you mind making sure the door is locked? I'd like to keep this conversation private." **Ameyuri nodded, and walked away, and Naruto returned his full attention to Konno.

"Augh!" Konno hissed out, as Naruto tightened his grip on her throat. Once Naruto's grip loosened enough for her to speak properly, she growled out.

"Teme...The fuck you do to her!?"

Underneath the gas mask, Naruto blinked.

"**Why, I helped her. Did you know she was dying?" **He shook his head, as if in pity. **"Such a shame too. Only nineteen, and afflicted with a failing heart. But..." **Naruto raised a finger from his free gloved hand. **"She's alright now. Perfectly healthy, thanks to me."**

"Tch!" Konno managed to scoff. "I highly fucking doubt that! What are you going to do with her, you sick fuck!?" When Naruto responded, it sent chills up and down her spine. A low, dark chuckle, made all the more intimidating by the electronic noise that permeated his voice.

"**You sound as if you think I'm going to rape her or something." **He continued chuckling, until without warning, Naruto slammed Konno's face against the wall once more, with enough force to create a dent in the wood. **"I would never do such a thing..." **He growled into her ear.

When he pulled Konno's head away from the wall, she was barely conscious, and blood streamed from a jagged gash in her forehead, leaving a crimson trail down her face, with the scarlet fluid dripping off of her chin. Naruto let her go, and allowed her to fall back onto the wooden floor. He contemplated just consuming the annoying woman here and now.

At least, until Ameyuri returned. She gave a gasp at Konno's state, and hurried over to her, kneeling over the blue-haired woman.

"Naruto! What happened to her?" She asked. Strangely, she didn't feel too concerned for her friend. Oh, well. She was a known rebel spy. When Ameyuri had the chance, she was supposed to kill her out of sight of the populace.

"**Konno had an accident. And, she's a rebel spy?" **Naruto had heard her thoughts, and saw an excellent opportunity.

Ameyuri nodded.

"Yes. The Mizukage's suspicions were confirmed yesterday. I was supposed to eliminate her. But, you have plans, don't you Naruto?" Any loyalty she felt towards the Mizukage was gone now. The only things that mattered to her now, were her Daten-shi, and her sisters.

"**Yes. Ame-chan?" **Said red-head tilted her head. **"How would you feel, once I dethrone the current Mizukage, for you to come back home with me?"**

Her eyes widened.

"I'd love it!" She exclaimed gleefully. Ameyuri hopped to her feet, and happily hugged Naruto. Underneath the gas mask, Naruto's lips twitched into a smile, and he hugged her back. A faint groan from Konno drew his ire, and Naruto brutally stomped his boot into her chest, with absolutely no resistance from even her ribcage. She gave one last wheeze, before going limp, her form disintegrating into simple organic compounds, and consumed by her killer.

The masked blonde shook his head, as memories began flowing into his mind. After a short while, the influx of memories stopped, and Naruto now knew where the rebels were based, as well as the fact that they were piteously weak, with their leader, Mei, being the strongest amongst them, not that really meant anything. She was just one woman. The Mizukage had a few hundred shinobi at his beck and call. He would help her win the war, in exchange for her DNA. If possible, he wanted to secure DNA from the presumably extinct Kaguya clan.

The Shikotsumyaku would be useless for him, but for his Infected? It would mean they would all become capable of ranged attacks, consisting of super-dense bone projectiles. A bounty for him. Granted, the Shikotsumyaku was rarely manifested in the Kaguya, but all he needed was the DNA. Naruto theorized that a majority of kekkai genkai were manifested through recessive genes. If he could acquire a corpse, and obtain the DNA, he could read it, and find the recessive gene necessary for the Shikotsumyaku.

It would almost be child's play to alter his Infected's DNA to accommodate the Shikotsumyaku.

Naruto didn't really need to consume in order to obtain DNA, but it made reading, and replicating the gene's instructions easier with an entire organism's worth of DNA. It would take a little while longer for him to read the DNA if he simply extracted it from a living thing, but it wouldn't hinder him too much.

Combine his newly acquired kekkai genkai with the chakra-concealing seal Kushina had made, he would soon become even more of a force to be reckoned with.

"Hey, where did Konno go?" Ameyuri's confused voice brought his attention back to reality. His newest Evolved was looking down at where Konno once was, and had her head tilted to the side.

"**Killed and ate her." **Naruto rather bluntly said. He was certain he could hear Kyara violently facepalm within himself. Ameyuri turned to him, a thin red eyebrow raised.

"Huh. I expected her to die a lot slower." Shrugging, she smiled. "Oh well. Thanks for taking care of her, Naru-kun."

A thin trickle of sweat trailed down Naruto's concealed face.

"**Right then. I'll be going now." **He let go of Ameyuri, and made for the exit of her apartment. **"Want to follow me? You can meet your sisters."**

The red-haired swords-woman nodded, a bright smile coming to her face. Much like when she had guided him here, her hand brushed lightly against his. Naruto took her hand, but rather than simply an act like it was before, this was genuine. She loved him now. And he loved her. Naruto opened the door, Ameyuri following closely behind, the two linked hand-in-hand. She closed the door, and locked it. The pair walked off, Naruto leading the way.

"**Ame-chan?" **At hearing Naruto's questioning tone, Ameyuri turned her gaze to him. **"Where is the Kiba?" **The Kiba were one of the Seven Swords that Ameyuri currently possessed, in truth, a pair of swords capable of . She reached into a pouch on her obi, pulling out a small scroll, no larger than her palm. She opened the scroll, revealing the kanji for 'Kiba' written on it.

Naruto raised a concealed eyebrow.

"**Storage seal?"**

Ameyuri nodded with a smile, placing the small scroll back in her pouch.

"Yep!" She chirped out. "It's specially made, so that only I can access the Kiba."

The masked blonde nodded.

"**I see. What if you need to get the Kiba quickly?"**

She raised her free hand, revealing another seal inscribed on her palm in black ink.

"If in an emergency, I have two seals which are linked to the scroll, so I can immediately get the Kiba in my hands."

"**Why not just use the seals on your palms all the time?"**

Ameyuri shook her head.

"The seals aren't permanent, and I have to re-apply them every week or so." She looked down at the ground, in slight embarrassment. "That, and...I'm not really too good at sealing..." At hearing Naruto chuckle, she looked back up, a pink tint on her cheeks.

"Don't be mean! Besides, Kushina can help me out, right?"

Naruto nodded, still quietly laughing.

Ameyuri pouted, before she started giggling along with him.

It wouldn't take too long to get to where his temporary base was in Kiri. Oh well. At least he had pleasant company.

**'I heard that.'**

Scratch that.

Wonderful company.

**'That's better.'**

Hopefully, he could get there without Kyara getting too angry...

**'What are you saying?'**

Absolutely nothing.

**'That's what I thought.'**

Oh boy...

**'Excuse me?'**

**(Fifteen minutes later)**

Well, at least it was spacious.

It seemed his group had decided to go a bit overboard. They had gone out, and found the largest sea cave they could find. It was on the south end of the main island, closest to the smaller island where the rebels were based.

A small bonfire within the cave itself illuminated it dimly, revealing some of it's features. The cave seemed to have been eroded out of limestone, given the chalky white color of the interior of the cave. Overall, it was mostly smooth, with only a few very small cavities strewn about the walls.

Surrounding the bonfire were his girls, all with the hoods of their cloaks pulled back. It seemed they were cooking some food, considering the sharpened sticks with fish impaled on the end each woman had. Scattered around the large cave, were the Brawlers, all either sleeping, or just resting. The cave was large enough for the Hydras to comfortably lay on the floor as well, taking a nap as well.

The Alpha Brawler yawned, a glowing orange tongue sticking out, before turning to Naruto. It's glowing red eyes shone brighter, and after stretching out it's legs, slowly got up. It shook for a moment, it's powerful body rippling for a moment, before meandering over to Naruto. The Alpha Brawler was large enough that it's head was level with Naruto's own, and it proceeded to lick Naruto's masked face.

A feminine giggling from behind it's master drew the Alpha's attention. It stopped licking Naruto, and looked over his shoulder, to see Ameyuri. The large Brawler tilted it's head, and began walking over to her. Ameyuri wasn't afraid, and with a smile, started stroking the Alpha's head. It became cross-eyed, and flopped onto it's side, legs kicking. The Infected dog started panting, and kicked it's legs more, silently begging.

Not really wanting to see his supposed killer dogs reduced to mere puppies at a friendly face...again, Naruto walked forward, taking a seat at the fire.

"So..." Anastasia said, before taking a bite out of the cooked fish. "You got another Evolved?"

Naruto raised an eyebrow under his gas mask.

"**Yes. How'd you know?"**

Kushina answered, muffled somewhat by the fact that she was talking with a full mouth.

"We saw wut yu saw." When Naruto turned to her, with what may have been a miffed expression, she stuck her tongue out, and swallowed. "What I meant to say was..."

"We could see through your eyes." Anastasia cut in. Kushina looked to her with a small pout. She wanted to say that!

"**What?" **Naruto was justifiably confused. He hadn't gone into depth with the telepathic link he had with all Infected, so he had absolutely no idea what it's limits were.

Anastasia rolled her eyes.

"We can see what you see, if we focus."

Kushina interjected.

"Yep!" She looked at Naruto, with a mock expression of surprise. "Seducing a member of the Seven Swordsmen of the Mist?"

Again, Anastasia interrupted her.

"I'll say it now, you have a good catch there Naru-kun." The curly-haired woman smirked. "I think you just have a special talent in finding beautiful women."

Before Kushina could once more take hold of the conversation, Naruto raised a hand.

"**Okay, hold up." **Kushina snapped her mouth shut with a click, and looked at Naruto, head tilted to the side.

"**So let me get this straight." **He lowered his hand, now pointing to both Kushina and Anastasia. **"You can see what I see?" **They both nodded. **"Okay. Can I see what you see?"**

Kushina shrugged, as did Anastasia. Naruto rolled his shoulders in preparation.

"**Right. So, just focus?"**

"Um...I guess? That's what we did." Anastasia said uncertainly.

"**That fills me with so much confidence." **Naruto drawled out, sarcasm dripping off every word. **"Ah...Fuck it. Here we go."**

He closed his eyes, and concentrated. Soon enough, he could see himself.

What?

Indeed, even though his eyes were fully closed, he could see still. Except...It was from Kushina's perspective.

"**Whoa. This is trippy." **Naruto said. It was rather disorienting as well, as he was starting to sway in place, attempting to balance himself. It was even worse, when he could see his own dizzy self. He saw Anastasia get up, and quickly walk over to him, gripping him by the shoulders, trying to help him.

"Okay, you should probably stop now. Unless you want to eat dirt." Naruto heard Anastasia from his left, but from seeing her from Kushina's eyes, it only served to further woozify him. **(T-Thats a word, right?)**

"**Yeah..." **Naruto re-opened his eyes, Kushina's point of view fading away to his own sight. He briefly touched a hand to his head. **"That...felt really..._really _weird."** He turned to Anastasia, who had a sympathetic look on her face.

"Believe me, I know the feeling."

After Naruto fully regained his equilibrium, Anastasia stepped away, and returned to her seat. Kushina was looking rather dazed, something that Naruto noticed.

"**Kushina? You alright?" **Naruto asked, a little concerned. Kushina seemed to come out of her slight trance, and nodded.

"Yeah. It just felt weird for me too."

She snapped her fingers, and started searching her cloak.

"Oh yeah, I almost forgot! The seal you need!"

Naruto raised an eyebrow, as Kushina began throwing out random things from her cloak. A watch. An alarm clock. A...

Why was she carrying around a dildo?

Naruto quickly shook away the image of the artificial phallus, which oddly resembled his own fully-erect member, as Kushina tossed a scroll at him. He looked down at the small scroll for a moment, before opening it. His eyes widened at what he saw.

The seal was simple, yet elegant. It seemed designed to randomize his chakra signature every second, but only doing so if he used a jutsu, or if a dedicated sensor was actively attempting to track him. Even better, the seal would absorb any excess chakra that normally, would leak out of any jutsu, where it would linger in the environment for a few hours. The absorbed chakra would then be returned to his chakra system, ensuring not even a smidgen of chakra was wasted.

"**Kushina...This is amazing. It's...perfect." **Naruto breathed out. Almost franctically, the trench coat vanished into a swarm of tendrils, which receded into his now exposed chest. He looked down, and after looking back up to study the seal once more, the seal began to form across his chest.

Naruto found that he simply didn't need to actually write seals on his body. Just place the pattern of the seal on his body, and activate it with his chakra. It certainly made adding seals to his body much easier.

The new seal that sprawled across his pectorals glowed a dim red for a moment, now activated. The light faded, and the seal did so as well. It wasn't gone, just concealed. Releasing a sigh of relief, Naruto willed the trench coat to cover his form once more. Looking to Kushina, the red lenses became blue. Naruto slowly strolled over to her, until was right next to her, towering above her. He leaned down, and whispered into her ear.

"**Thank you." **Naruto suddenly gripped onto her soft derriere with both hands, eliciting a squeak from the red-haired Uzumaki. **"I'll have to reward you later..." **He lowly growled out, squeezing Kushina's lower cheeks almost painfully. She gave a near-silent moan, her face slowly turning red. She was supposed to be the tease...

Her wonderful son unfortunately released his tight grip on her bum, and walked back, ignoring the soft whine she gave. It was starting to feel good...

Naruto clapped his gloved hands together.

"**Right then. I'm heading over to the rebel base and meet with Mei." **He stood, brushing off some of the stone dust that had gathered on his coat. **"Just make Ameyuri feel welcome. I'll be back soon." **

Naruto turned back to Ameyuri, only to let his head drop at what he saw. Ameyuri, who had a great big smile on her face, was surrounded by Brawlers, all of them making affectionate gestures towards her. Licking, lightly bumping their heads against her. It also seemed Saya was interested at the new arrival, and was currently latched around Ameyuri's waist, a big grin on her face.

"Yay! I have another Onee-sama!" She cried out in glee.

'Oh, come on. I bred them to be vicious pack hunters. Not to be a best friend.' Naruto thought glumly to himself. A small black cloud had somehow formed above his head, and was currently pelting him with tiny rain drops.

It seemed Kyara found his depression humorous, judging from the way she was laughing non-stop.

Damn.

Ah, well. Time to get to the rebels.

Hopefully, they weren't too disappointing.

**(Rebel's base, fifty miles from Kirigakure)**

The rebels were fucking pitiful. More than Konno's memories had him assume before.

A few civilians.

Ten genin.

Five chunin.

And three jonin, Mei being one of them.

_**They **_were supposed to be the 'Saviors of Kiri'?

What kind of bullsh...!?

**'Okay, Naruto. Calm down. Take a deep breath, or something.'**

'Kyara. The way I used to calm down was to take out my anger on something squishy, and filled with this delectable stuff called blood. That doesn't work anymore, thanks to the events at Nami.'

**'Um...You could...'**

'See if I can play a relaxing game of golf with Mei's severed head?'

**'Wow, you're seriously pissed off.'**

'Gee, ya think!? I mean honestly! The fuck is this shit!?'

If there was someone to witness Naruto's fury, they would quickly high-tail it as fast, and as far away as they could from the enraged whiskered blonde.

Naruto was visibly quivering in rage, a few tendrils occasionally snaking out from his sleeves, or shoulders, and lashing out at anything in range. The crimson lenses of his gas mask were glowing bright enough to act as a pair of reliable spotlights. And if you looked closely enough, you could see a few smaller tendrils peeking out of the pores in the filters of his mask.

**'Erm...Maybe instead of fighting with the rebels, you could go and take out a few outposts, and have the rebels show up to the bloodbath, instead?'**

The livid Prototype stilled.

'Go on.'

**'You don't have to fight head-on, just go around, tearing out throats, and snapping necks like twigs until every Kiri shinobi is dead.'**

'Ah. The stealthy approach. It'll definitely help keep me from the spotlight.'

**'I personally recommend somehow forcing Mei into an alliance with you, but making sure that her men know nothing about you.'**

Naruto nodded, his wrath cooling.

'Well, she doesn't really have a choice, does she? She's outnumbered. And the Mizukage's forces are much better trained, not to mention they have access to the entirety of Kiri's resources. The rebellion has no chance as it is now.'

**'Exactly. Either she agrees, or you just pluck a strand of hair from her head, and leave, and let her and her little rebellion be crushed.'**

'Sounds good. Alright, now to find Mei, get her away from the rest.'

Naruto was currently overlooking the small camp from a tree, with the sky a dark gray. It was about to rain, and judging from the low rumbles in the distance, it was going to be a thunderstorm. A big one. Fitting. Thankfully, every other rebel seemed to be asleep. No sensors either.

It was time.

Now...

Where was Mei?

**(Mei's Tent)**

The rebel leader sighed heavily, as she shifted around in her bedroll. Mei hadn't heard from her sole spy in Kirigakure today, and as such, she was incredibly concerned. Konno may have been a civilian, but she was very good at gaining information, usually by loosening lips with alcohol, and a bit of seduction. Chojuro was concerned as well, Konno was his sister, after all.

If she had been found out...

Mei quickly banished those horrifying thoughts. Konno was fine. She had to be.

Giving an irritated huff, she crawled out from her bedroll, revealing her rather buxom form.

She was a very, _very, _attractive woman.

Long wavy auburn hair cascaded down to her ankles, with two short bangs, one sweeping over her left eye, and the other falling over her right. Another pair of bangs, longer, reached down, and crossed over her impressive bust. Or, at least, they would if she hadn't just gotten out of her bedroll. Rather, her long hair was messy, and her bangs were simply framing her face. She was wearing a black nightie, and she wasn't currently wearing a bra, only a simple pair of panties.

She yawned, a hand coming up to her mouth, before she started walking towards the small table in the center of the tent, a map of the Land of Water stretched across it. With a slight cringe as she accidentally stepped on a rough part of the tent floor, she placed both hands on either side of the map, and observed it.

The situation was fucked. To put it simply.

With scarcely any real strength, aside from her kekkai genkai, the rebels were going to lose this war. It simply couldn't be denied. Mei tried. She tried to boost morale. Tried to convince all of them, that they had a chance. Impossibly, it worked. Everyone thought that they could fight. That had at the very least, a slim chance of winning.

She pitied them. All Mei was really doing was just making sure they didn't die afraid. They would die, believing their deaths would mean something.

A quiet whimper was the only sound in the tent. A salty trail of tears were starting to make their way down Mei's pretty face.

What the hell was she thinking?

Why'd she even organize this rebellion in the first place?

All of them, her friends, her comrades...

They were all going to die.

Because of her.

Eventually, she lost the strength to even stand. With a weak cry, she fell upon the table. Bitter sobs tore their way from her throat.

"Please..." She hopelessly prayed. "Send someone...anyone...I don't care if it's a demon, or an angel, just help me...please, I beg of you, Kami-sama..."

"**Your prayers have been answered."**

Mei gave a terrified gasp, as she quickly whirled around, hands locked in a seal, ready to melt the intruder. Only for the seal to become a garbled mess, as she beheld the dark figure before her.

A long black coat, black gloves, and most intimidating of all, a black helmet, and gas mask. The eyes glowed blood-red, and stared at her, piercing her very soul. Mei franctically started backing away, only to trip on her own feet. Green eyes widened with horror, she crawled backwards, desperate to get away.

The red-eyed demon tilted it's head, as if in confusion.

"**Oh? Why so afraid?" **It began to walk forward at a sedate pace, with every footfall being completely silent. **"I'm only here to help." **Bright light illuminated the tent, created by a nearby lightning strike. The shadow cast by the dark figure was..._ghastly. _Rather than a simple human figure, the shadow was of an alien, and eldritch thing, with countless tendrils lazily waving about. With multiple thin arms, and what looked like fanged mandibles twitched around where the mouth of the shadow would be. Reverse-jointed legs, skeletal in appearance. The light faded, and the demon was getting dangerously close now.

Mei continued crawling back, until she hit the wall of the tent. In a panic, she closed her eyes, hoping beyond all hopes, that it was just a nightmare, and that closing her eyes would end it. Gradually, she began to calm down, her breathing returning to normal. With a hint of hesitation, she cracked open one eye.

The demon was gone.

With a sigh of relief, Mei pressed a palm against her forehead.

"**Did you think you'd get rid of me so easily?"**

Mei stiffened, dread washing over her body, leaving her cold, and numb. With a choked gasp, she turned her head to the left.

The demon was right next to her, red eyes burning a hole into her.

"**As I said before, I'm here to help. Truly." **When the masked demon started leaning in closer, Mei leaned back in response, until she lost balance, and fell onto the fabric floor of the tent. The demon seized the opportunity, and pinned Mei to the floor, gloved hands coming down on her wrists with an iron grip.

She briefly struggled for a moment, before a crimson glare from her attacker paralyzed her. She couldn't move at all, and was forced to stare into those glowing scarlet lenses.

"**Good." **It hissed out. **"Now that you're calm, I'm going to tell you something." **A new surge of terror pulsed out from within Mei's heart, as the demon straddled her, and leaned in close, the right filter of it's mask tickling her ear.

"_**You don't have a choice. You will accept my assistance, or you will perish here." **_The pinned Mei shivered in fear and disgust, as something frigid and slimy touched her, just behind her ear. **"In return...I expect to be...compensated..." **The demon pulled back, revealing the slimy appendage to be something more terrifying than anything Mei would have imagined.

A thin, red, _tendril _snaked out of one of the filters. It danced around for a moment, before being pulled back within the mask.

"**It's very simple..." **The demon's grip on her wrists tightened, until Mei could feel the bone starting to give way. **"In exchange for my services, I get whatever I ask of you." **The demon's eyes brightened. **"And if you were to betray me..." **

She gave a frightful gasp, as indescribable images tore at her mind. She could scarcely make sense of them, but all she needed to know, was that what ever horrors were within those images...

_They made Hell look like Paradise._

The demon's hiss brought her back to reality.

"**I promise you, your suffering will be eternal." **

"I..." Mei managed to breathe out. "I w-won't betray y-you..." She gave a tearful cry, as the demon suddenly thrust it's masked face into her own, the bright lenses almost blinding her.

"**For your sake, _ningen..._"** The demon spat out the word. **"I hope you don't." **Suddenly, it let go of her, and got off of her, turning away, and dusted off it's black coat.

"**You'll see my work in the nearest outpost. There is...what? Twenty-five shinobi there?" **It looked back to her, it's crimson gaze locking onto her own. **"Head there with your own forces, at seven AM, sharp, and behold my work." **It tilted it's head again, until a loud crunch of bone resounded out. **"I'll visit you once more. When?" **At that, it chuckled darkly. **"I don't quite feel like telling you. Goodbye, Mei."**

The demon became wreathed in what could only be the scarlet flames of hell itself, before vanishing from sight.

Leaving Mei alone.

Slowly, she sat up, and hugged her knees to her chest.

She had prayed.

And she was answered.

Not with an angel.

But perhaps, the most terrifying thing she ever saw.

A **demon.**

Looking back to where the demon had left, she noticed what appeared to be a name, scorched into the floor of the tent.

_**Jupiter**_

It must have been the demon's name.

Jupiter...

What had she done?

Was she truly so desperate?

To form a contract with a demon?

Mei knew the answer.

And it filled her with shame.

Yagura had to die.

For the sake of her people.

For the sake of her village.

She would pay whatever price Jupiter asked.

Even her own soul...

For the good of Kiri...

When Mei finally managed to fall asleep, her dreams would be haunted by Jupiter. His glowing red eyes. And the sight of him reaching into her chest, and pulling something out. It shone through the gaps in his hand, with a bright white light.

And most nightmarish of all.

Jupiter, with Konno's ravaged corpse in hand.

Mei would find that image to be forever branded into her mind.

**(With Naruto)**

**'Was that really necessary?' **Kyara asked her host. She didn't really care about Mei, she was just curious.

'No. But it certainly makes any stories she decides to tell, seem outlandish and fantastic.'

**'I suppose. You're headed back to the cave?'**

Indeed, Naruto was returning to the large sea cave that had become his, and his group's, temporary residence. Intimidating Mei was only to make sure that she didn't attempt to double-cross him.

**'You do realize just how paranoid you're sounding right now?'**

'Can you really blame me? I'm just making absolutely certain. Being betrayed wouldn't be very conducive to my efforts here.'

**'I know that. But still, is it really so hard to trust someone outside of your loved ones?'**

'Yes. Nearly impossible. I simply don't work that way.'

Naruto's travel came to a stop, when he impacted the ground with a heavy thud. The cave was just ahead, the small fire having been extinguished, shrouding the interior in darkness.

**'Still...'**

The masked blonde sighed heavily, and he began strolling over to the entrance of the cave.

'I just can't Kyara. When I look to someone who I don't know, all I see is a potential threat. That's all.'

**'...Naruto?'**

'Yes?'

He felt a phantom pair of arms wrap lovingly around his neck, and the soft feeling of a woman's lips kissing his cheek gently.

**'I don't know how...But I promise you...I'm going to heal you...somehow...'**

When Naruto chuckled, Kyara couldn't suppress the cringe. It was hollow. Empty. Devoid of everything, especially mirth.

'You can't. Please, for your sake, don't try. It'll only end in tears.'

Kyara reacted in a way that Naruto simply never expected.

**'How can you say that about yourself!?'**

He flinched lightly, as Kyara angrily shouted within his head.

'W-Wha...?'

**'You may have given up, but I won't! Never! I won't rest, until I see you happy!'**

'Kyara...'

**'I know you very well Naruto. Better than you know yourself. And I know, beyond the shadow of a doubt, that you can heal. I've seen it myself.**

'What evidence do you have? How can you prove it?'

Any cynicism Naruto was feeling melted away, under something..._euphoric. _

**'Do you feel that?'**

Naruto slowly nodded.

**'That's my love. Something that I thought, I'd never show to anyone. I love you Naruto...So much...And so does everyone else...Kushina, Anastasia, Saiyuri, Mikoto, Saya, Haku, and Ameyuri. They all love you. And you love them.'**

Where was she...

**'You never realized it, have you? How your love shows that, deep down, you're not some monster, or demon. You don't need to be human, to love. I just wanted to let you know that...'**

'Kyara...I...'

**'It's okay...You don't need to apologize. I can't blame you for those dark thoughts. Just remember...we're not going to leave you. Ever. You have us, for all eternity.'**

Naruto felt a pair of silken lips brush against his lips.

**'You're never going to be alone...ever again.'**

Then she kissed him.

_Bliss._

Her lips were...so soft...warm...

Naruto responded to the kiss, not really caring if someone witnessed him try to kiss thin air. While wearing a gas mask, no less. His eyes fluttered closed, and he began to put more force into the kiss, his tongue pushing against the invisible lips, only for a similarly invisible tongue to suddenly push his own back. Surprised at the sudden oral onslaught, Naruto wasn't able to fight back, as Kyara's tongue probed his mouth, brushing against teeth, and wrapping around his own.

With a muffled groan, he instinctively reached down, with his rational mind believing there would be no soft derriere to greet his groping hand. So, imagine his surprise, when he came to grip warm, pliable flesh, rather than thin air. A pair of slender arms wrapped around his waist, pulling him closer, and Naruto was certain he felt two silky soft mounds being pressed into his chest.

Wait what?

When Naruto re-opened his eyes, it was to the sight of bright red, slitted eyes. They were half-lidded, presumably, in pleasure, and an overwhelming amount of desire.

**(Lemon Start! Hide now, if you don't want to see!)**

Kyara broke the kiss, a thin strand of saliva still bridging the gap between their lips. Her tongue darted out, breaking the link of saliva.

"Hi..." She whispered out, her breath tickling Naruto's chin.

"Um...Hi." Naruto awkwardly repeated. When had she...?

His train of thought promptly derailed when Kyara pressed her left hand against his chest, and raised her right hand to his face, gently cupping it. Her eyes were starting to glow.

"Naruto...Why do I feel so..." She breathed out. _"good...?" _She moaned out the last word, clenching her thighs together, as her nectar flowed incessantly from her lower lips. Kyara's nipples stiffened, poking against Naruto's firm che...

When had he gotten undressed?

Moreover, when had she disrobed?

His thoughts became muddled when Kyara suddenly forced him to the ground, Naruto falling squarely onto his back with a light thud. The vixen groaned lightly, grinding herself against his right leg, leaving a moist trail. Her nine tails wrapped around him, the fur brushing lightly against his skin. Kyara's ears were moving around wildly, taking multiple different positions.

"Na...ru..." She hissed out sounding as if she was in pain. "I...don't k-know what's ha-happening..."

Not entirely certain of what to do, Naruto very gently, brushed a finger against the side of her breast, with Kyara giving a shuddering mewl in response.

"M-more..." She barely managed to breathe out, grinding herself faster against him.

Deciding to throw caution to the wind, the whiskered blonde took a handful of Kyara's plump bosom, the vixen giving a lyrical moan in response. Squeezing, and pinching, he did his best to pleasure her, and judging from the way she darted a hand to his own, guiding him to the most sensitive spots, Naruto was doing very good. Her womanhood was gushing fluids onto his leg, the clear liquid dripping off, and falling onto the grass they lay on.

Naruto gave a surprised grunt when Kyara suddenly caught his member in an iron grip, with her free hand. Slowly, she began to stroke. She was a little bit clumsy, but despite that, was doing rather well for her first time.

"Naruto..." Kyara once more hissed into his ear. "I want to do something..."

He raised an eyebrow.

"Go ahead."

With a lazy smile, she began to slowly crawl down his body, making sure that her nipples were dragged along his firm, and muscular chest, she slowly rubbed Naruto's throbbing member with her flat stomach as she continued down, until she was looking directly at the pulsating pale rod.

Kyara locked her crimson eyes with Naruto's blue-silver, before licking his member from base to head. He groaned once, letting his head fall to the grass softly. Eventually, she stopped teasing him, and wrapped her velvety lips around the head, making lewd slurping noises all the while.

"Guh...W-Where did you learn to...?" The whiskered blonde managed to groan out. He raised his head for a moment, and saw Kyara slowly work her way down, her eyes having closed. Soon enough, she managed to get his entire length down her throat, her nose lightly grazing against his smooth, and opened her eyes, making eye-contact with Naruto.

In a tortuously slow manner, she began to fellate him, moving her mouth up and down his member. With how moist, and warm her oral cavity was, Naruto simply couldn't find the strength to keep his head up. With a blissful sigh, he let his head return to the spongy grass, gently placing both hands on Kyara's head, caressing her long ears.

From the muffled moan she made, she enjoyed it. She increased her speed, tongue wrapping around the member in her mouth. Soon enough, Naruto wasn't capable of resisting it anymore, and his member began to twitch and spasm. Kyara smirked around him, and slowly began to take his member out of her mouth. Once her lips had reached the mushroom head, she bit down softly. With a loud groan, Naruto climaxed, filling Kyara's mouth with oddly creamy semen. Another oddity was it's taste.

From the knowledge gleaned from her exploring Naruto's mind, she learned that semen was supposed to be salty, and thick. But instead, Naruto's semen had a rich, creamy texture, and tasted sugary sweet. Kyara knew that Naruto could control his body to such a degree, that the unconscious tics that every human was plagued by when lying didn't apply to him. But to the point of altering the taste of his seed?

She sloshed the saccharine cream around for moment, savoring it. She tilted her head, when she realized it tasted precisely like vanilla. Kyara looked to Naruto, who was quietly panting, head still on the grass. His hands had lost their delightful grip on her ears, and were limp. She tapped him on the wrist, rousing the whiskered blonde. He raised his head, and looked to Kyara. She had on a sultry smirk, and Naruto saw her open her mouth for a moment, revealing the white seed within, before she tilted her head back, and audibly swallowed, licking her lips for a moment. Kyara returned her slitted eyes to his own, and a grin split her face in half.

"Delicious..." She erotically moaned out, her tongue suddenly snaking out, reaching down to her breast, coiling around it, and twisting around her nipple. The bright red muscle left a moist trail of saliva on her soft, curvy body, and she began to whimper, the pointed tip of her tongue entering into the nipple itself. Her crimson eyes glowed even brighter.

Naruto's erection returned full-force, something that Kyara noticed. With a half-lidded sultry gaze, her tongue lengthened further until it grazed against her lower lips, with even more nectar trickling out. She gave a quiet hiss of bliss, as her tongue entered, and expanded for a moment, spreading her womanhood apart deliciously.

"Naruto..." Kyara softly whined. "I'm so empty down here...please...fill me up..."

That was the last straw, as Naruto quickly shot to his feet, member at full mast.

Likewise, Kyara stood, tongue slithering back into her mouth. Naruto walked forward, as did Kyara. The amorous pair met in a flurry of kisses, and groping hands, until Kyara allowed herself to fall back, the grass serving to cushion her fall. Naruto continued to feverishly kiss her, until Kyara managed to flip him over. Now in the dominant position, Kyara slowly rubbed her lower lips against Naruto's stiff rod, moistening it with her glistening nectar. Finally, Naruto's lower head pressed against her womanhood, Kyara kiss grew deep, her tongue slithering out once more, only for it to be pushed back by Naruto's own extended tongue.

With a jerk of his hips, Naruto sheathed himself to the hilt within Kyara. He released a low growl of pleasure, and Kyara, a harmonic moan. The connected tenant and host were still for a few moments, each momentarily breaking the kiss.

Kyara panted, the cool air of the mindscape allowing her breath to be seen. Naruto's own breathing was erratic, likewise visible. The two stared at each other for a moment.

Kyara saw nothing but love, and affection within those glowing blue-silver eyes.

Naruto saw nothing but love, and affection within those glowing blood-red eyes.

They kissed again, this time, softly, but still having a bit of passion. Kyara slowly began to raise upwards, moaning into Naruto's mouth. Then she slammed herself down, with the sound of flesh slapping against flesh echoing throughout the forest of Naruto's mind.

To help her, Naruto began to thrust his own hips upward, timing it with her descents. Kyara's nine tails began to stiffen in response to the euphoria she was feeling. Her pleasure multiplied when Naruto allowed nine tendrils to emerge from his body, to dance around with her tails, wrapping around their bases, gently pulling, and stroking the fluffy tails.

Their hips were meeting now, in a blur. The ground underneath Naruto was beginning to crack and crater from the force behind Kyara's humping, and her tails writhed wildly, waltzing along with Naruto's tendrils. Their tongues wrapped around one another, each happily exploring it's partner's moist abode. Kyara's breasts rubbed vigorously against Naruto's firm chest, her nipples scraping delightfully against Naruto's preternaturally smooth skin.

The vixen clawed at Naruto's back, leaving deep troughs in him, leaking black biomass, not that it hurt Naruto in the least. In response, Naruto allowed his Claws to partially form, scratching at Kyara's back, leaving behind only very thin wounds, from which scarlet freely flowed from. Likewise, Kyara didn't even so much as flinch slightly at the small rents torn into her skin.

The whiskered blonde's thrusting began to weaken, as did the vixen's bouncing. Kyara felt Naruto begin to twitch and spasm within her, and she could feel her own internal walls preparing to clench. With a roar from Naruto, and a scream from Kyara, they both climaxed. Hot, creamy seed filled Kyara up to the brim, some of the white seed leaking out from her lower lips. In response, her own burning hot walls clamped down, seemingly desperate to milk Naruto's member of all the seed it could send.

Kyara twitched with every bit of seed pumped into her by Naruto, until finally, the flow stopped. She gave a near-silent moan, as she felt her cervix open, and the semen drain away where her womb would be.

She collapsed onto Naruto's chest, the whiskered blonde wrapping his arms around her lithe, yet buxom body. Then she noticed something odd.

**(Lemon is over! You kiddies **

Black chakra was starting to radiate around Naruto, and likewise, her own blood-red chakra was unwillingly being released.

It seemed Naruto was aware of the goings on, as he looked upon his own chakra with slight confusion. At least, until it, and Kyara's own, suddenly sped towards each other, and merged. Another surge of ecstasy, completely and entirely out of nowhere, rocked the both of them. And then...

They saw something..._majestic._

The two chakras had merged completely becoming black, with a scarlet hue. The chakra glowed slightly, before splitting off, and returning to the both of them. When the chakra made contact with Kyara, she felt so much stronger, and could feel every emotion from her beloved Naruto, all the love he had for her, how much he truly cared. Unbeknownst to her, her crimson eyes became a blue-silver, almost exactly like Naruto's own eyes, save for the slit pupil. And when the chakra grazed Naruto's body, he felt incredibly powerful, and so..._connected _to Kyara. Unknown to him, his eyes became blood-red, with a slit pupil.

The two met their eyes, and they both gasped at what they saw.

"N-Naruto...your eyes..." Kyara breathed out. They looked just like her own...Wait.

If the merging of their chakra had changed his eyes, then what about her own.

She was answered when Naruto raised a tentative finger to her cheek.

"I have a feeling my eyes look like yours. Guess what. Your eyes look like mine, just with a slit pupil." He answered her unspoken question.

"Do y-you think it's permanent?" The vixen said. She truly hoped it was, because it felt _**exquisite.**_

Naruto closed his eyes, and his face twisted lightly in effort. Soon enough, the black and red chakra re-emerged, only for the red to separate, and return to Kyara. Likewise, her own chakra, red, with a black hue, radiated out, and the black chakra separated. The respective chakra returned to their owner, and the two lover's eyes returned to normal. Naruto's blue-silver, and Kyara's blood-red.

Internally, Kyara whined. _**It just felt so amazing...**_

Eventually, Naruto opened his eyes, and he gave a sigh of slight exhaustion. It took a lot of willpower to separate Kyara's chakra from his own, and it didn't help that his chakra seemed to _latch onto _Kyara's chakra. It seemed Kyara's own chakra had the exact same behavior, as the red chakra just wouldn't let go of his own.

But Naruto had to admit, he felt _wonderful _when Kyara's chakra merged with his own. It was just so...warm, and comforting. Softer than any silk ever made. And Naruto could feel every single emotion from Kyara, clearer, and so much more comprehension than the simple mental link they shared. It was as if the two had become one for that moment. A glorious, and nigh heavenly unity. The...

Why was he waxing poetic?

It was then, that a sudden wave of pleasure shot up his body.

Oh yes.

He was still sheathed within Kyara.

It seemed Kyara had just realized it as well, considering the cute blush that spread across her cheeks.

"W-We actually..." Her blush intensified, robbing her of the ability to speak coherently.

Naruto nodded, a look of faint disbelief on his face.

"Yes. We did." He tilted his head in confusion. "What happened? You just kind of..." The whiskered blonde made random hand gestures, trying and failing to put what had happened into body language. "Erm...went...primal?"

Kyara seemed to agree, her blush becoming slightly brighter.

"Yeah...U-Um, when I kissed you, I felt this h-heat in my body...It was so hot..." She looked off in the distance, eyes glazing over. It was rather odd, she could fully remember everything, even though she was acting off of instinct. But how? She was a collection of chakra, what instincts would tell her to...

Unless...

**Kushina.**

It must have been her, somehow. Maybe, when she had helped Kyara design a human form, she must have...placed a set of instincts somehow within her mind, and they took over when she kissed Naruto.

Admittedly, Kyara wasn't angry, not in the least. She had never, ever, felt so much pleasure before. In her one thousand years of existence, she had never felt more euphoria during this one moment, than she had in all those years.

Slowly, a trail of crimson fluid began to leak out of her nose, and she began to giggle lightly.

She definitely wanted to go again. And again. And again. Indeed, she wanted to feel that pleasure for the rest of time immemorial. And Kyara was certain Naruto could provide her that pleasure. He never physically got tired, only tiring from mental fatigue.

Her giggling grew in volume.

Oh, how wonderful it would be, to have him pistoning in and out, squeezing and tugging, nipping and pinching, licking and suckling..._for all __**eternity...**_

Naruto tried to lean back. But the grassy ground underneath refused to budge.

Perfect.

Now Kyara was truly becoming a pervert.

Why, oh why, did he have to listen to Mini-Naruto?

Yet another surge of bliss shot out into his body, as Kyara wiggled her body slightly.

Oh right.

Because sex was fucking awesome.

And on that note, Naruto decided to return to reality. Of course, when he did so, his meta-physical form vanished as well, leaving a nude Kyara to tumble to the grassy ground.

Oops.

**(Back to reality)**

When Naruto returned to the physical world, he noted two things.

One, his pants were oddly damp.

Two, he was groping a sleeping Saya.

Wait, what?

With dread filling his body, he looked to Saya again. And indeed, his gloved hands were groping her soft, and only slightly childish body.

Two fingers of his right hand were currently buried within her womanhood, and his left hand was gripping onto her small, yet perky right breast.

Saya was moaning quietly, an oddly cat-like smile on her face.

'Holy...shit. Did I go on **motherfucking **_**auto-pilot?!'**_ Naruto inwardly yelled. What the fuck!?

Being especially careful to not wake Saya, he withdrew the fingers from within her lower lips, the gloved digits coming back shiny, and wet. Likewise, he slowly released his grip on Saya's tiny bosom, being silently thankful she was still clothed. The green-haired girl gave a quiet whimper as Naruto's fingers exited her, and another when he let go of her modestly sized breast. She writhed slightly for a moment, before returning to a peaceful slumber, only marred by the tiny pout on her lips.

**'Naru-koi?'**

Naruto barely suppressed the cry of surprise in his throat.

'Gah!'

Unfortunately, he couldn't quite say the same for his thoughts.

**'Um...were you just...?'**

'No. Absolutely not. I'd never do such a thing,'

Let it be known, that Naruto was rather bad at trying to deny something undeniable.

**'Yes...you were.' **He felt her gain a teasing smirk. **'Never knew you had a loli fetish.'**

'Huh?'

Naruto briefly looked down. And indeed, Mini-Naruto was standing at attention, a tent growing in his oddly wet pants.

'No! Bad Mini-Me!'

As if it was a scolded puppy, his member shrunk away. And Naruto would swear up and down, he heard it _whine. _

Thankfully, Kyara's tinkling laughter drew his mind away from the terrifying thought of his..._little soldier_ becoming sentient.

**'Y-You call your...y-your...Mini-me?' **She managed to get out between bouts of laughter.

'S-Shut up! I only did so once!'

It seemed Kyara had her fun, as she eventually stopped laughing, only occasionally giggling.

**'W-Well, do me a favor, and make sure Mini-You is ready for our next time...' **She gave a genuinely sultry whine at the end, only to get the link to her host abruptly shut.

Naruto let his head fall against the small pillow the large bed-roll came with. And he closed his eyes.

Hopefully, when he woke up, Saya had absolutely no recollection of his unconscious actions this night.

He really, **really, _REALLY, _**didn't want to be the one to have to give her **'The talk'**.

**(Next morning, 5:00 AM)**

Thankfully enough, Naruto was the very first to wake up. Saya had slept peacefully, as did everyone else. Idly, he noted who slept with who.

Kushina was sharing a bedroll with Mikoto, the two mothers pressing against each other in a rather erotic manner, with their breasts pressing against each other, the soft mounds of flesh squishing together so wonderfully...

'Dammit! Get a grip!' Naruto yelled at himself.

The next pair didn't help.

Saiyuri and Anastasia were also sharing a bedroll, in much the same position as Kushina and Mikoto were. Bosoms and all.

Okay. What about...

Ameyuri and Haku were again, sharing a bedroll, with Ameyuri's much larger, and more developed bust dwarfing Haku's own. And yet, Haku's were much perkier, as well as...

'Quit being a perv!' Naruto once more shouted internally.

**'Oh, stop complaining. At least your a chivalrous pervert.' **Kyara 'helpfully' chimed in.

Underneath the gas mask, Naruto's eyebrow twitched.

'Shut up.'

**'Oh? Why don't you put your tasty manho...'**

He promptly shut the link. And Kyara smirked triumphantly within the seal.

Naruto crawled out of the bed-roll, and after making doubly sure everyone was still asleep, walked over to the Alpha Brawler.

It was sleeping, and snoring in such manner it made it look absolutely adorable.

Aside from the fact that it was a mutated killer dog.

The small flap of skin that closed the small holes in it's head, which served as it's ears, opened, and the Brawler opened up one red eye. Upon seeing it's master, it yawned, revealing it's large fangs, as well as it's bio-luminescent tongue, and stood, quietly shaking the numbness out of it's body. The Alpha Brawler looked to him, as if asking.

_Why did you wake me up?_

Naruto crossed his arms.

"Come on. We're going to have some fun together." He was certain the Brawler knew what he meant by 'fun'.

The Brawler's eyes widened, and it hurriedly nodded it's head.

Uncrossing his arms, Naruto patted the Alpha on the head, and began walking towards the mouth of the cave, his destination?

The outpost he had mentioned to Mei last night. It would be child's play to kill everyone there. The Loyalists were arrogant as a result of the rebel's weakness, and thought themselves invincible.

It was time for a reality check.

With it's small tail wagging, the Brawler happily followed Naruto.

It was feeling a little hungry, anyway.

**(A mile away...)**

Michishige Kyousuke yawned heavily. Seriously, what was up with this bullshit early shift? Honestly, who in the hell woke up this early? It was fucking 5:03 in the damn morning!

He sighed. Oh well. It wasn't as though any rebel was going to attack, with just how weak they were. Admittedly, Michishige didn't care much for the whole kekkai genkai elimination. He just wanted a pay-check.

The Kiri chunin ran a hand through his brown hair.

His job was fairly simple. Walk around the outpost, and basically eat shit, since nothing ever fucking happened.

Day in, day out, absolutely nothing. Why couldn't he just relax like the commanding jonin did? At least then, he could get some poon-tang with the hookers that frequented this place. Sure, they were all trouble with a capital VD, but they carried around condoms.

Right?

Course they did, what was he thinking?

Well, soon enough he wasn't thinking anything, as a single Claw pierced through his forehead. He jerked for a moment, a low wheeze managing to tear itself from his throat. Blood, a few fragments of bone, and a single lump of pink brain hung loosely from the Claw, the very last thing he saw, before darkness overwhelmed him.

Naruto observed the dead chunin on the end of his Claw for a moment, before lightly pushing him off of his Claw. The lifeless chunin fell to the dirt with a thud, where upon, the Alpha Brawler sauntered over, and began to gnaw at the corpse's head, before crushing it. The Brawler lifted it's head, a few strips of bloody flesh hanging off it's fangs. It tilted it's head back, and swallowed the pulverized contents of the chunin's skull.

The masked blonde gently petted the Brawler's head for a moment, before leaving it to it's meal.

"Don't eat all of him. Leave a few scraps behind. We want Mei to see the corpse, remember." Naruto reminded the Alpha. It gave a low rumble, obeying.

He had come out here for another reason, specifically, to test a delivery system for his acid bombs. Naruto had decided to use a heavily modified Bio-Clone technique to deliver a small, yet effective payload to a target. The bio-missile would possess a very rudimentary intelligence, just enough to be able to dodge obstacles, and reliably track a target.

Slowly, a small, sleek, vaguely bullet-shaped figure began to form on his shoulder. Soon enough, it formed completely.

He had termed these bio-missiles, Darters. They utilized a miniaturized version of the bio-jet, and much like the original design, it was almost completely silent. The Darter had a small cavity within itself, where the acid was stored. When detonated, the explosive gas diffused within the acid, would be ignited with a very small bio-electrical discharge, and the Darter would explode, showering the target with acid.

The tip of the Darter's body was bladed, and capable of penetrating solid stone at maximum air speed. Granted, the use of a Darter would result in a very miniscule loss of bio-mass, but it was negligible at worst, and Naruto could create hundreds of Darters with just fifty pounds of bio-mass.

Naruto gave a telepathic command to the Darter.

_Kill._

And just like that, the small black bio-missile was off, a near-silent whine the only sound the miniature bio-jet made.

It flew over the small wall that surrounded the outpost, and after flying around for a few seconds located it's target.

A drunk jonin, looking for all the world as though he was about to pass out then and there. He stumbled to and fro, about to fall on his rear. A female chunin passed by, and the intoxicated Kiri shinobi grinned lecherously.

"H-Hey, baby...How 'bout I show ya a good time..." He slurred out, the kunoichi ignoring the drunk ninja completely.

"Ya gonna play hard-to-get, huh? That's alright...No woman can hope to resist me!" He bragged, making a ridiculous pose. Again, the female chunin cared nothing for what the drunk jonin had to say, and continued walking. His face twisted in fury.

"Fine then! Ya fucking bitch! I hope you, and your dyke of a girlfriend have a good scissoring!" He snarled out. Anything else he would have said was silenced, as something sharp and long penetrated into his throat. Blood openly gushed out, staining the soil. His agonized wheezing drew the attention of the other ninjas, who looked on with horror.

The Darter felt the electrical charge build up within itself. It released an ear-piercing shriek, before detonating. The wound opened even further, and now, acid was eating away at the jonin's body, and some of the corrosive fluid had managed to find it's way within his throat.

If he could have screamed, he would have. Instead, all he could do, was flail helplessly, as the acid dissolved his body, both from the outside, and inside. Eventually, his suffering came to an end, when he fell to the ground, a limp sack of meat and bone.

Then more Darters came.

The murderous little things were small, and incredibly fast, so much so, that even the most talented ninja there was unable to knock them out of the sky. The tiny killers soon found their targets, and jetted towards them, shrieking all the while.

The cries of the dying ninjas would never be heard by anyone, except a strange gas-masked figure overlooking the outpost.

This was only the beginning.

So many more would die.

And Naruto?

He couldn't care less.

Just so long as he got the DNA he needed from Mei.

Once the last ninja died, melting into a puddle of putrefied skin, and liquefied organs, Naruto left.

Besides, his girls were still asleep.

It'd be rude to have them wake up without him there.

Whistling a merry tune, Naruto strolled away from the former outpost. Followed closely by the Alpha Brawler, who had copious amounts of blood around it's mouth. But it's red eyes glowed in satisfaction.

Yagura?

Consider your days numbered.

**Jupiter was here.**

* * *

**FUAAAAAHH! MY FUCKING ARMS! THEY HURT SO GODDAMNED MUCH! OFF TO ANTARCTICA I GO! BYE! AND MAKE SURE TO REVIEW! FUUUUUUUUUUUUUU...**


	31. Chapter 31

_Chapter 31_

_Ongoing bloodshed_

"Sentence." _-Speech_

'Sentence.' _\- Thoughts_

**'Sentence' **_-Kyara's/Kyuubi's mental dialogue_

"**Sentence." -**_Distorted speech._

* * *

"You're leaving again?"

Mikoto was starting to get a little worried. Naruto had mentioned he woke up early, and went to a small Loyalist outpost. He didn't say anything of what he did there, but she had a good idea what had happened.

"Yes. By now, Mei should be at that outpost, and will have seen what I've done." Naruto had his mask and helmet off, and was pacing up and down the cave, hands locked behind his back. "I'm heading to a base now. More shinobi are stationed there." He stopped, and looked to Mikoto, his face blank. "I'm slowly weakening the Mizukage's forces. With the sudden disappearance of several of his shinobi, he'll start thinking the rebels have grown in power, and plan accordingly." He frowned lightly.

"Knowing Kiri military protocol, he'll draft from the civilian population. They'll be given the most basic understanding of how to use chakra, and then, be sent out into the field. Quantity over quality."

Naruto began pacing once more, his helmet and gas mask coming over his head in a flurry of writhing tendrils.

"**The Mizukage isn't a very popular leader. And the drafting will only serve to put him into a more negative light. People will start joining the rebels, perhaps, even some shinobi." **Again, he stopped pacing, and started making his way to the exit of the cave.

"**I'll be back soon. I have work to do." **Naruto snapped his fingers, rousing the resting Infected. **"I'll need eight Brawlers, and one Hydra." **Said Infected got into action, with The Alpha Brawler walking over to Naruto's side. One of the Hydra's emitted a low, brief shriek, and slithered over. To finish off the assault group, seven Brawlers formed up behind Naruto.

The masked blonde turned to the rest of his followers.

"**If anyone wants to accompany me, do so. We'll make a plan once we reach the base." **Without a word, Kushina, Mikoto, Saiyuri, and Anastasia stood up from the cave floor, and stood next to Naruto. Likewise, Haku, Saya and Ameyuri rose, and walked over to him. But, when Ameyuri was about to form up, a raised hand from Naruto made her stop.

"**Not you, Ame-chan. Your mission will be to return to Kiri, and gather information. Anything at all, from how the Mizukage is behaving, to the current status of the Loyalist forces." **The glowing red lenses momentarily shone brighter. **"Do you understand?"**

The red-haired swords-woman nodded stiffly.

"Yes." She monotoned.

The lenses of Naruto's mask returned to their normal, dim glow.

Ameyuri blinked once, and smiled.

"Okay then! I'll head to Kiri. Be back soon." She walked over, kissing Naruto once on his mask, and proceeded to shunshin away in a swirl of water.

"**Saya, can you handle yourself?" **He questioned the green-haired girl, with a hint of concern in his voice.

She nodded, a childishly gleeful look on her face.

"Yes, Onii-sama!" The young girl tilted her head to the side. "Am I going to play?"

Naruto nodded.

"**Yes, Saya. Just make sure to keep your games quick." **Her 'games' usually took a while, and resulted in the 'playmate' screaming. A lot.

Saya momentarily pouted, before returning to her usual cheerful self.

"Okay!" She chirped out.

Considering how Saya was capable of sneaking up on him, Naruto was confident that she would be able to ambush any targets he gave her.

"**Everyone else ready?" **

His girls all responded with a series of nods. Naruto turned back to the exit of the cave.

"**Good. Let's go, follow my lead."**

**(Red Delta Base, three miles from Kiri)**

Red Delta Base was aptly named. It was constructed near a large river delta, which, due to an unusually high concentration of iron in the soil, stained the water a dark red color. The sea the delta led to shared the same color for a few miles, before returning to it's normal deep blue.

The base itself was large, with roughly 80 shinobi stationed there. A few of them milled about the grounds, some just meandering around, others piss drunk.

Idly, Naruto felt a brief flicker of annoyance.

Just how pompous were the Loyalists? Moreover, was the Mizukage a moron?

Shouldn't the outpost have been discovered by now?

The masked blonde quickly shook away those thoughts. If Yagura was for whatever reason, choosing to ignore the destroyed outpost, and those deceased shinobi, so be it. It would only serve to hasten his demise.

And yet, even as Naruto tore out the throat of a young genin he had tailing for a few minutes, he couldn't quite answer the next question.

He stepped forward, consuming the dying, gurgling genin. Naruto briefly touched a hand to his head, and once the new memories ceased flowing, tendrils surrounded him, receding until the deceased genin stood in his place.

Naruto's new form was of a roughly fourteen-year-old boy, with short gray hair, brown eyes, and a tan complexion. His attire consisted of a simple blue shirt, and black trousers, with pouches for kunai and shuriken.

That question was...

What had happened to the Mizukage?

The genin he had snacked on had heard of a rumor that Yagura was being manipulated by some unknown person. The person he had heard the rumor from vanished mysteriously a few days afterward, but it certainly rose many more questions.

Who was Yagura's puppet-master? Who knew of Yagura's status as a puppet? Why did the puppet-master orchestrate the civil war?

This current civil war ignited around when Naruto was born, sixteen years ago. And Zabuza's memories only served to further cement the theory that Yagura was being manipulated, as the Mizukage actually sought to try and end Kiri's penchant for civil war. Only for Yagura to suddenly reverse his policies, and instead, spark a period of discrimination against kekkai genkai wielders, with eventually escalated into even more blood-shed.

Naruto would have to contemplate these questions another time, however. His girls, as well as the Infected he was leading, were all waiting for him to send the telepathic order to attack. Mikoto and Saiyuri wouldn't be able to perceive the command, but they were accompanied by Anastasia, who would relay the order to them.

The disguised Naruto had decided against taking the base with a stealthy approach. Too many people, and eventually, someone would notice how many people were missing. Instead, he opted for an all-out assault.

Before the attack began however, he needed to cripple the chain of command. There were three tokubetsu-jonin presiding over the base, with a single jonin serving as the commander of the base. In the event the commanding jonin was incapacitated, the three tokubetsu-jonin were each capable of taking over the position of commander.

Those four needed to die. Without any superior officers to order them, the remaining chunin and jonin would be left in a state of dis-array, and once the assault began, it would be easy to finish them off. His first targets would be the tokubetsu-jonins, and once they were dead, Naruto would move on to the commander of the base.

Now...where was his first target?

The doors of the mess hall were opened, and out walked one of the tokubetsu-jonin, wolfing down a plate full of rice cakes. He was rather ugly-looking, with a large, hooked nose, beady brown eyes, and a mouth full of yellow, crooked teeth. Long, unkempt dark brown hair fell around his face, and he had an overall thin, skeletal figure. Ironic, given just how many rice cakes he was stuffing into his mouth.

The target had a name, but as of now, Naruto couldn't care less. All he was focused on, was killing him. The disguised blonde walked into the base perimeter, locked onto the gluttonous tokubetsu-jonin. A few chunin and genin drifted past him, but again, they weren't his concern. Not now.

The repulsive jonin looked around for a moment, idly chewing. He sneered, and began walking away, muttering under his breath. Something about how he couldn't properly eat in such crowded environment. He continued onward, until he found a nice, secluded area, just outside the perimeter of the base, to eat his breakfast.

He hated being around people. Always with their greedy eyes, always hungry, always looking to his food! It was his food, dammit! All of it! Every bit of food was his!

Pork! Beef! Rice! Fish! Everything! It was his! His to eat! No one could have it! They could starve, for all he cared!

The tokubetsu-jonin continued to angrily chew. Eventually, he calmed, and began to eat at a more sedate pace.

He had barely survived as an orphan, on the streets of Kiri. Always hungry...Desperate for even the smallest scrap of food...

He whirled around, kunai in his free hand, when he felt a presence nearby. It was somewhat familiar. He lowered the kunai when one of those snot-nosed genin made himself known, hands raised in surrender.

A snarl tore it's way past the lips of the hideous tokubetsu-jonin.

"Fucking brat! The hell do you want, you little shit!?" Spittle flew from his mouth, as did a few chunks of rice cake.

The dipshit genin spoke up.

"Nothing. I was just walking around."

The gluttonous jonin was about to hurl another insult, but the sensation of being impaled eradicated that train of thought.

A scream tore it's way from his throat, only to be muffled as a gloved hand came over his shoulder. A burst of pain from his abdomen drew his attention, and he looked down. A similar gloved hand, stained with copious amounts of blood. And clutching onto a small pink sac. It was convulsing. It took a moment for the jonin to realize his attacker had ripped out his _**stomach.**_

"**With your appetite, it's a miracle you keep so thin." **A voice trickled into his left ear. It was flecked with electronic static, as if the speaker was communicating through a radio. **"If food is your main concern, then here. Eat." **A Claw momentarily slashed across his throat, slicing into his trachea. The hand over his mouth was lifted away, and yet...

No matter how hard he tried, he couldn't scream. All he managed, was a faint whistle from the bloody slit in his neck. The gloved hand that held onto his stomach suddenly extended from the wrist, and when the jonin opened his mouth in another silent howl of agony, his stomach was forced into his mouth, and pushed down into his throat.

Naruto let go of his target, and took a step back. The repulsive jonin choked and gagged, hands clawing at his mouth, desperate to clear it. He fell to his knees, his frantic attempts to save himself weakening. Soon enough, he passed out, and fell forward, onto his face. The tokubetsu-jonin twitched for a few times, before stilling.

**'...That was...creative...' **Kyara whispered out. She most certainly wasn't disgusted. Just...surprised.

'Such a violent death as this will horrify anyone who discovers the body. That will distract them.'

Naruto took a step forward, and turned the dead Kiri nin over. His face was turning blue, and swollen. The corpse's mouth was forced open by the digestive organ within. His eyes had rolled back into his head. Shifting his index finger into a Claw, he placed the tip on the corpse's forehead, and pushed down. The Claw pierced through the bone easily.

A yellow fluid began to overflow from the small wound in the corpse's head, and Naruto pulled back his Claw, shifting it back into a gloved finger.

With the Blacklight virus now within the corpse, it began to violently convulse, until stilling. The Necromorph would reveal itself when a prey item stumbled across it. Naruto turned the new Slasher over again, and walked towards the apathetic 'genin'.

In truth, it was simply a Bio-Clone, given the order to impersonate the Kiri genin he had consumed. The clone would distract the tokubetsu-jonin, making him vulnerable. Considering the jonin was now dead. The plan worked exceedingly well.

Naruto clapped a gloved hand onto the Bio-Clone's shoulder, and it proceeded to dissolve into a flurry of black and red fluid, which merged with the original Naruto.

On to his next target. Tendrils swarmed over his form, until the Kiri genin stood in his place.

Naruto re-entered the base perimeter, and after looking around for a moment, decided to head into the barracks. Once he reached the two doors that led inside, he pushed them open, and walked in.

The barracks were filled with bunk-beds, all in an orderly pattern. Five beds to a row, eight to a column.

"Sugiura-kun!" Naruto gave a strangled cry as something tackled into him. The feminine cry of his current form's name made another name flicker into his mind.

_Ayumu..._

The genin's whose face he was wearing, Sugiura's, little girlfriend. Despite the both of them only being fourteen, the two genin humped like rabbits. Indeed, Sugiura had just gotten done fucking Ayumu a few minutes before he became Naruto's breakfast.

Good. That lust would only serve to make her death less noticeable.

Affecting a happy smile perfectly, 'Sugiura' looked down to Ayumu.

She was a fairly attractive young girl. Long purple hair that fell to her upper back. Bright green eyes. Pouty lips, which, according to Sugiura's memories, made fellatio feel amazing. She was of a mild complexion.

With a lustful grin, Ayumu pressed herself against 'Sugiura'.

"Sugi-kun...Let's go have some fun..." She whined out. Incredibly, the girl was clenching her thighs together, and there was a noticeable stain growing on the very tiny shorts she wore.

With a similarly lustful grin, 'Sugiura' responded.

"Of course, Ayu-chan. Let's head to the bathroom."

Her grin widening, Ayumu gripped onto 'Sugiura's' hand, and began dragging him to the female restroom.

She pushed the door open, and proceeded to whirl around, kissing 'Sugiura'. The disguised Naruto, in an effort to keep up the act, decided to take the dominant position, and proceeded to push Ayumu to the restroom counter, bending her over.

Ayumu giggled lightly, and momentarily broke the kiss.

"Ara...Sugi-kun...You're being so rough..."

Deciding enough was enough, 'Sugiura' once more kissed Ayumu.

The girl moaned lightly as his tongue writhed around...

Wait...

Why was the tip so shar...

The crack of bone signaled the end of Ayumu's life. Naruto's blade-tipped tongue burst through the top of her head, in a shower of blood. His tongue retracted back into his mouth, and he allowed Ayumu's limp body to fall to the ground.

Naruto briefly stuck his tongue out, and plucked a single, small fragment of bone out. He crushed it between his fingers, and consumed it, along with Ayumu's corpse. Naruto briefly looked to the blood-stained mirror, and ceiling, before having a few tendrils sweep the place clean. After scrutinizing the restroom once more, making absolutely certain no evidence remained, he left the woman's restroom.

Ayumu, as a genin, didn't have too many useful memories. Indeed, other than her little escapades with Sugiura, there was nothing else of note.

Damn. What a waste of time killing her was.

Naruto continued searching the barracks. His next target was a kunoichi, she had long, moss-green hair, and was wearing the Kiri standard shinobi uniform, consisting of a basic slate gray flak jacket, with no pockets or pouches, of note, were the extended shoulder guards, and two extensions designed to protect the lower abdomen on either side. A baggy, long-sleeved dark blue shirt, and black trousers, along with black ninja sandals completed her attire.

She was chewing out a small group of chunin in a clipped, and superior tone. And from the way the chunin were cowering before her, Naruto had good reason to believe she was one of the tokubetsu-jonin.

"You all know the consequences of not wearing your hitai-ate." She droned out. Naruto could detect a hint of blood-lust in her voice. "Now, accept your punishment, like men." Without warning, she unsheathed a katana from her hip, and slashed.

The three chunin gave out simultaneous cries of agony, as the edge of the katana bit into their chests, leaving a deep wound. They collapsed, and did their best to stem the bleeding.

The tokubetsu-jonin whirled around, revealing her widened dull-red eyes. An insane grin tore her face in half.

"Anyone else?!" She shrieked. The remaining chunin and genin all uttered fearful whimpers, and proceeded to flee the barracks, leaving behind only the disguised Naruto, and the unstable kunoichi.

"K-Kid!" One of the wounded chunin managed to rasp out. "Run the fuck a-away!" The green-haired kunoichi whirled, her face a rictus of rage.

"You pieces of garbage!" She emphasized the insult by decapitating the chunin who spoke. Before the remaining two chunin could even attempt to run away, the jonin stabbed one in the chest, piercing his heart, and proceeded to bury her katana in the last chunin's skull. She pulled back the katana, allowing the chunin's bifurcated head to flop around, the bisected brain oozing out, and impacting the mess hall floor with a wet smack. The mutilated corpse fell forward with a loud thud.

The kunoichi's grin impossibly widened, and she brought her katana to her lips, dragging her tongue across the steel blade. She gave a shuddering moan as she tasted the coppery blood. Her euphoria was interrupted, when she had to use the katana to defend herself from a swing from Kubikiribocho.

She snarled at the masked figure wielding the legendary sword, only to be kicked away. The sword-wielding jonin tumbled along the mess hall floor for a moment, before crashing into the east wall. Dazed, she attempted to get back to her feet. Once she regained her equilibrium, she gave an enraged scream, and began to wildly look for the masked man who dare harm her.

"**Huh. And I thought I was crazy." **An electronically distorted voice reached her from the left. With a hiss, the kunoichi swung her katana, only for the blade to be broken against the much heavier, and sharper, edge of Kubikiribocho. She looked to her katana with a distraught expression, before being decked with a brutal right hook to her temple. She was sent flying to the west wall, and slammed into it with enough force to create a small crater.

She groaned in pain, before the edge of Kubikiribocho found the flesh of her throat. The semi-circular cut out of the zanbatou was actually rather good for decapitation. All Naruto needed to do to kill this psycho bitch, was push the Kubikiribocho forward slightly, and her head would be sliced off. Easy.

"**Tell me where the commander of the base is, and I'll consider letting you live." **He casually said, pushing the edge closer to the kunoichi's throat, drawing a thin trickle of blood. The kunoichi gave a slight cry of pain, before franctically nodding.

"O-Okay! He's in the command building! The one with the Kiri symbol on it!" Naruto pushed the blade closer, drawing a fearful squeak from her. "His name is Ganryu! Please let me...!" She was silenced when the masked blonde forcefully muffled her with a hand over her mouth. Tears began leaking out of her eyes, as she stared into those crimson lenses.

"**Look at you. Begging for mercy. So afraid. Why should I show mercy? I mean, honestly." **Naruto proceeded to push the Kubikiribocho forward completely, the kunoichi's scream was muffled by his hand over her mouth, and once the blade had cleaved through her neck entirely, he took his hand off her mouth, and grabbed her severed head by the moss-green hair, her hair having been cut short by the Kubikiribocho's edge.

Naruto held up the head, it's expression frozen into one of terror. With a scoff, a spike emerged from his palm, piercing into the skull, and he proceeded to consume the head, along with the body of the second tokubetsu-jonin.

A few new memories flowed into his mind, but he paid them no attention. The little scuffle here had likely drawn a lot of attention. It seemed the all-out attack would come sooner than he liked.

His suspicions were only confirmed when two chunin burst into the mess hall.

"Intruder! We have an intruder in the base!"

"Put your weapon down!"

**'Your plan has gone up in smoke. Do you need my help?'** Kyara chimed in.

'Nah. Unless Yagura decides to pay a visit, just sit back and watch.'

The crimson lenses of his gas mask grew brighter, until they were blindingly luminous. The two chunin covered their eyes, grimacing in pain.

"**I don't think so."**

With a brief pulse of chakra to the Bio-Mass seal, he released all twenty-five tons of Bio-Mass stored within. The Kubikiribocho was stored in the seal on his palm, and Naruto fell to his knees, a brief growl tearing itself from his throat. His Armor quickly grew over his body, and he grew in stature. He reared his head back, fanged maw opening wide.

A deafening roar shattered every window in the mess hall, and was loud enough to cause cracks to begin forming around him. As more mass was accumulated, his already inhuman form began to grow outright alien.

Four more arms burst out on either side of his chest, already tipped with Claws. Fanged mandibles grew around his maw, each roughly a foot long. His legs became reverse-jointed, and his feet became three thick toes, with large, sharp talons. Two toes in the front, and one jutting from his heel. And Naruto grew larger still.

With a series of low clicks, and growls, he stood to his full height, of fifteen feet. Briefly, he examined the new arms he had gained. His mandibles twitched into something that may have been a smirk, before he returned his attention to the two chunin.

Their sight having returned, they brandished their kunai, ready to kill the masked intruder. Only for them to realize he was gone. And in his place...

A creature, straight from Hell itself.

Nine scarlet eyes came into existence around Naruto's Armored face. He reared his head back once more. But rather than a roar...an immensely loud screech, powerful enough that the air could be seen rippling from the sheer force of the noise.

The insectoid monster once more leveled it's gaze on the two chunin, who were paralyzed with fear. It's eyes seemed to narrow, and with another shriek, it descended upon them.

With the roar made by Naruto a few seconds earlier, the Infected surrounding the base began their attack. The Hydra was first, bursting out in the middle of the base with a loud screech. The Brawlers followed, leaping into the base, and pouncing onto any unfortunate ninja in their sight. The rest of Naruto's group then began their attack, with Kushina and Anastasia wielding their Claws and Blades, Haku prepared to use her Hyoton, Mikoto and Saiyuri, Sharingan activated, and finally...Saya.

The young girl leapt into the battle with glee. Her form became inhuman, a mass of red tendrils. They reached out to any nearby Kiri nin, impaling, and drawing them closer to Saya.

Red Delta Base was under attack.

There would be no survivors.

And the delta would run red.

Not with red soil.

But with blood.

* * *

**Urgh...This took a while...Hopefully, you all enjoy it...Because damn...I hurt. A lot. Make sure to review...**

**If you have questions, make sure to either PM me, or bring them up in a review.**

**Right...I'm off. Next Chapter, expect the Shinigami to make another appearance. His reasoning for wanting the Ninja World gone will not be what you expect. At all.**

**Buh-bye.**


	32. Chapter 32

_Chapter 32_

_Dealing with Death_

"_It's so much darker when a light goes out than it would have been if it had never shone at all..." -John Steinbeck_

"Sentence." _-Speech_

'Sentence.' _\- Thoughts_

**'Sentence' **_-Kyara's/Kyuubi's mental dialogue_

"**Sentence." -**_Distorted speech/__Jutsu._

* * *

"**This is what you're going to do. You're going to march up to the rebels, pull down your trousers, turn around, bend over, and scream at the top of your lungs; 'Please, oh kind and exalted masters, be gentle with me!'"**

Naruto, in a fit of pique, had decided to spare two dozen of the Kiri nin.

"**Once Ms. Terumi shows up, you will flock to her, and worship the very ground she walks upon. I don't show mercy very often. So, now that I have, I expect you all to be very grateful, that I didn't just step on you a few minutes before, while I, and my allies, tore your comrades to shreds."**

On one condition. They defect to Mei.

"**Try to betray her, and I'll come back, and I will inflict horrors upon you, which even Madara Uchiha would cringe at. Well? _The fuck you all waiting for?!_ _HAUL ASS__!_"**

Of course, not every Loyalist promptly fled the ravaged base. Namely, Ganryu. He wore the standard Kiri shinobi outfit, and possessed dull black hair, and dark brown eyes. Black stubble was above his lips, and over his chin. A large, cleaver like blade was strapped across his back.

The defiant commander was glaring at Naruto, dark brown eyes clearly broadcasting the hatred within, along with a sneer.

"Why should I?" Ganryu snarled out. He wasn't afraid to die. Perhaps then, he could meet Suiren, and Junsai again...

A boot to his face quickly silenced any further dissent from him. Ganryu felt his nose snap like a twig under the kick, and he was knocked onto his back. A brief cry was, again, stifled, as Naruto stomped down on his chest. Those crimson lenses stared deep into Ganryu, boring into his very soul.

"**I've done some research on you Ganryu. I know about the so-called 'Tragedy at Yosuga Pass'. Killing you would be simple. But I can do much more than that." **The masked blonde put more pressure onto Ganryu's ribs, drawing a pained hiss from the jonin. **"You want to see them again. I can rob you of an afterlife. So do as I say, or I'll make sure you never get to see your comrades ever again." **Naruto took his boot off Ganryu, who momentarily remained on the soil, waiting for his chest to stop screaming in agony.

He had no further desire to attract the ire of the masked man. Ganryu saw the destruction he had wrought. How in that inhuman form he tore apart shinobi with his bare hands, crushed them to paste underfoot, every jutsu launched at him only made him stumble, and even when he was knocked off his feet, and plowed through the command center, he merely got back up, only slightly annoyed. And how those..._monsters _made meals of the good men and women under his command. Ganryu had no desire to end up like them.

With a quiet groan, Ganryu managed to clamber to his feet, and started to walk away. Briefly, he heard the masked man speak once more.

"**And tell her that Jupiter sent you all. She'll understand."**

Naruto watched Ganryu's retreating form, before sighing deeply. His mask and helmet vanished in a flurry of tendrils, revealing his features to the world.

The whiskered blonde raised a hand to his head, trying to soothe the headache that was flaring up.

Nothing could ever be simple for him, could it? He came to Kiri for one reason. Find a kekkai genkai wielder, preferably, one with a very powerful kekkai genkai, and either consume them, or simply gain their DNA. He already had Haku's Hyoton, he simply had yet to test it out.

The base proved difficult to destroy, as the Loyalists had surprisingly, managed to push back his forces, albeit, they did so barely. And Naruto, even in his Armored form, wasn't very effective in combat. The Loyalists had used multiple collaboration jutsus, mainly Suiton, to either make Naruto stumble, halting his advance, or as the destroyed command building indicated, completely blast him off his feet. Darters were somewhat effective, managing to find, and melt a few shinobi, but again, his targets wised up, and those who knew Futon techniques used them to knock the Darters off-course, usually ending up with the bio-missiles crash-landing into the ground.

He needed to start using jutsu as well now. Naruto had been neglecting it for long enough. At the very least, his chakra randomizer seal would conceal his true signature enough for a few destructive ninjutsu.

With a tired sigh, he leaned against the sole remaining wall of the mess hall, and slid down, until he was seated.

There were still more issues. With all of the Loyalists he had consumed, Naruto had gained a good grasp on just how fucked Kiri was. With the current Mizukage under a very powerful genjutsu, cast by some enigmatic figure, who, using Yagura as a puppet, sparked one of the most bloody civil wars in Kiri's history.

Apparently, the rebellion had been created nine years ago, when Ao, a former Anbu, and one of the jonins currently in the rebellion, had gazed upon the Mizukage with a Byakugan eye, having gained the eye from a Hyuuga he defeated. The Mizukage's chakra flow to his brain was disrupted, revealing that he was under some type of genjutsu. Not every Kiri nin believed him however, and upon Yagura learning of the event, Ao was deemed a traitor, and had hunter-nin sent after him in droves.

But those few who did believe, joined him, with Mei Terumi, the last member of a powerful, and esteemed kekkai genkai clan, taking lead of the newly born rebellion. Initially, the rebellion was fairly successful, With Mei's charisma, and skill at leading netting them a hundred members at it's largest. But Yagura organized a devastating ambush on the rebellion's original headquarters, resulting in heavy casualties on both sides. With at least two hundred K.I.A, and seventy-five wounded, and at least twenty M.I.A, Kiri's shinobi forces were dealt a major blow.

The rebels had it much worse. Reduced to a mere ten fighters, and a scant few civilians, they fled with their tails between their legs, going into hiding.

Neither side had yet to fully recoup their full strength. Hopefully, with those ninjas he strong-armed into joining the rebels, the rebellion would gain just enough power to do their own small operations against Yagura.

This attack against an entire base had raised more than a few alarms. He needed to lay low for a day at least. Let the heat die down, and continue his work once every Loyalist stopped looking over their shoulder every five second.

But as of now, he had bigger issues than that. Like his losses.

Sadly, two Brawlers had died in the assault, and it seemed the Blacklight virus within their cells had been rendered inert with the host's death, meaning that they wouldn't be able to come back as Necromorphs. Naruto could distinctly feel them die, their presence vanish from the Hive Mind. Even now, that emptiness still bothered him.

Naruto had consumed the corpses, not letting them go to waste.

He needed a breather...a day to, relax...recuperate. He'd been neglecting his girls, too absorbed in the civil war.

Naruto needed to fix that.

"Okay...let's all head back. We'll rest for a day, leave the war alone for a moment." He called out, a hint of exhaustion in his voice. Naruto stood up, and his mask and helmet returned. The usually crimson lenses were a deep blue. A feminine hand was gently placed on his shoulder.

The masked blonde turned, locking eyes with Saiyuri. She had on a concerned expression.

"Naruto? How are you feeling?"

For a moment, he was silent. His gaze slowly began to trail to the ground. Then he spoke, his voice coming out subdued, and solemn.

"**...Not good. But, please, start worrying over me once we get back to the cave." **Naruto raised a gloved finger, gently grazing Saiyuri's cheek. **"Let's just go back...We'll have the rest of today, and tomorrow to rest."**

With that said, Naruto turned on his heel, and began walking out of the destroyed base. Followed closely by his girls, and his Infected, sharing in his melancholy.

**(The Sea Cave)**

They had arrived a half-hour after leaving the remains of Red Delta Base. The Brawlers, after each going to Naruto, and lightly nuzzling him, returned to their normal resting positions around the interior. The Hydra, likewise, slithered within the cave, and gently tapped Naruto on the side with it's beak, before joining it's two brethren. The Necromorphs merely went to a dark corner, and crouched down, going into a form of stasis, until they were needed.

That was an oddity that those particular Infected possessed. Necromorphs didn't seem capable of the emotions other Infected could feel. They were simply killers, and when they didn't kill, they lied in wait. It was likely because they were created from corpses, and not a living thing, that resulted in their lack of such feelings.

Naruto brushed aside those thoughts, removing his helmet and mask once more. He may as well start practicing with jutsu now. If anything, it would serve to distract him from that hollow space in his Hive Mind.

"Alright...You should all get some rest. Chat with each other. I'll...uh...I'll be deeper in the cave. I'm going to test something out." Naruto said to his girls. While he was walking away, they all shared worried looks.

"Um...What's wrong with Onii-sama?" Saya whispered out. Naruto-nii-sama was acting a bit...sad? She knew that a few Brawlers had gotten hurt in the big game at that base, but not much else. If her Onii-sama was sad, then she'd have to cheer him up! The green-haired girl briefly smiled at the thought, and began making a plan.

"I don't know, Saya-chan..." Kushina breathed out, in response to Saya. The red-haired Uzumaki was more than a bit concerned with her son. She had also felt the two Brawlers die, their own telepathic signatures suddenly vanishing. But she didn't really feel much, a bit of sadness at their death, but still, not much.

But Naruto was their leader, and their creator. He held a much closer bond with his Infected, and losing some of them was likely the reason for his gloomy mood.

Guilt was something that annoyed him. But he had never truly felt the sorrow someone he loved. Any memories from someone he consumed who had also lost wasn't the same. This...it was a personal loss. He needed help. Because of the telepathic link, it likely meant that Naruto also felt them die as well. And considering how much he cared for them...

Kushina returned her attention to Saya, seeing the small smile on her childish face. Somewhat confused, she momentarily linked her mind to Saya's, to see what she was thinking.

'I wonder, what could I do to make Onii-sama stop being sad?' Saya tilted her head to the side, and hummed quietly. 'Maybe I could give him ramen? He says he likes it. What about a big hug? Mou...I don't know what to do...'

She was torn out of her thoughts when Kushina walked next to her, with a mischievous smile on her face.

"Hey, Saya-chan?" Kushina's smile turned into a grin. "I have an idea."

Saya blinked once, before gaining a grin similar to Kushina's own. Kushi-Onee-sama would know what to do!

Slowly, each woman who had managed to find a place in Naruto's heart looked to Kushina. Other than Haku, who merely looked confused, they all gained grins identical to Kushina's.

A devious plan was soon hatched.

**(Meanwhile...)**

"**Hyoton: Hissatsu Hyoso!" (Ice Release: Certain-Kill Ice Spears!)**

The limestone floor of the cave cracked under Naruto's boot, and a fissure snaked forward, until it stopped, only for the cave floor to shatter as multiple, large spikes made of solid ice erupted out.

Naruto walked forward, observing the spikes. Idly, he pricked his index finger against one of the spikes, only to accidentally impale his finger. After looking around, making sure that no one saw his minor blunder, the whiskered blonde pulled his hand back, the small hole in his digit filling back in.

"Alright. It works. Now...Let's see if..."

Naruto raised his left hand, put into the Seal of Confrontation.

"Katsu."

The frozen spikes cracked, before suddenly exploding, sending countless razor-sharp shards of ice in all directions.

The whiskered blonde's eyes widened, and he quickly formed a Shield with his right arm, swinging it into a guarding position. The shards clattered against the super-dense chitin of the Shield, until a rather large, almost spear-like fragment managed to punch through the Shield, and Naruto's skull.

"Ow..."

**'Thankfully, you don't have any brains to destroy.'**

'Hardy-har-har. You're hilarious. An absolute riot. I'm laughing so much.'

**'Why, thank you! I'll be here, for about...forever.'**

Naruto gave a slightly irritated groan as his Shield receded into his arm. Gingerly, he gripped the frosty lance embedded in his head, and slowly began to pull it out. He cringed when the ice cracked, and briefly halted.

'Why is it that, somehow, I always get something sharp shoved into me?'

**'I don't know. I guess you just make a very good pin-cushion.'**

Soon enough, he returned to his efforts to extricate the frozen spear, only to accidentally break it off. With a twitching eyebrow, he looked down at the shattered fragment of the icy spike, before tossing it away.

Anger welled up within him, and rather than try, and more than likely fail, to remove the remaining ice stuck in his cranium, he simply placed two fingers where the spike had snapped, and pushed. The ice spear smoothly traveled through, and once free of his skull, it fell, shattering against the stone floor of the cave.

The whiskered blonde took a calming breath, the breach in his head filling back in. Once he had managed to cool the growing rage within, he flew through hand-seals, ending with the Tiger seal.

"**Katon: Zukokku!" (Fire Release: Intelligent Hard Work!)**

His 'stomach' began feeling warm, and he opened his mouth, letting a small ball of fire shoot out. Interestingly, the fire was blue. The blue fireball continued onward for a few dozen feet down the cave, until it impacted against the limestone wall.

It proceeded to explode, sending a wall of azure flame in a circular radius around the initial detonation, roughly twenty feet around. The fire lingered for a good five seconds, before being snuffed out. The Katon ninjutsu left a charred, and ashen crater behind.

Naruto rose an eyebrow. He hadn't been expecting it be that powerful. Or for the flames to be blue. After all, he had only put a fairly small amount of chakra into the jutsu.

**'Probably because your chakra is very powerful. I can attest to that.' **Kyara helpfully stated.

'Really? How powerful?'

**'I'll put in perspective. When we had 'fun' yesterday, and our chakras merged, I felt _stronger_.'**

'Huh. Let's merge our chakra then. Test it out.'

The vixen proceeded to cry out in glee, making Naruto grimace lightly.

**'Well, come on! Let's do it!'**

'Alright, alright! Stop yelling!'

Kyara's chakra began to leak out of Naruto's body, wreathing him in a crimson aura. His own chakra began to radiate out as well, an abyssal black. The two chakras lazily drifted around, before suddenly clashing against each other. The end result?

Naruto briefly felt his knees weaken under the sheer _euphoria _that flooded him entirely. He stifled a blissful sigh, and regained his footing. His usually blue-silver eyes were blood-red, and slitted. His chakra gained a red hue, and momentarily waved about, before returning to Naruto. Kyara's reaction was rather...unexpected.

Kyara loosed an almost drunken giggle. The vixen felt a wonderful bliss blossom within her. Her body felt almost like jelly, and she happily fell limp against her bed. Reaching over to the side, she grabbed a large pillow, lavishly decorated with images of playful fox kits.

With her free hand, she summoned her own chakra. A red aura surrounded her arm, with a black hue surrounding her chakra. With a thought, a hand mirror formed in her hand, and she looked within.

Her normally red, slitted eyes were blue-silver, identical to Naruto's normal eyes, the only difference being the slit pupil. Likewise, she had gained six, scar-like whisker marks on her cheeks.

A soft smile spread across her beautiful features. Only for it to quickly fade as Naruto's emotions flowed into her. Chief amongst them, were sadness, and a nearly crippling pain. She knew what this pain was, having felt it intimately, a thousand years before.

When she had lost her father, Hagoromo.

Meanwhile, Naruto formed a single Snake seal.

"**Raiton: Gian!"**

Yet again, Naruto opened his mouth, and released a large bolt of electricity. It sped forward, meeting with the limestone wall, and continued onward, eventually dissipating after a good twenty-five feet.

The whiskered blonde raised an eyebrow, dropping the hand-seal. He walked forward, and observed the small tunnel that was made by the electricity.

"Huh. I'm fairly certain that would be overkill..." Naruto mused to himself. That limestone was completely solid, if anything, it certainly illustrated just how powerful he was, when merged with Kyara.

Of course, he'd have to test it without Kyara's assistance, and compare the results.

**'...Naruto?'**

Said whiskered blonde frowned at hearing Kyara's crestfallen voice.

'What is it?'

**'I can...feel your pain...the loss...'**

Naruto released a quiet sigh, bringing a hand to his head.

'Damn. I was hoping that wouldn't happen.'

**'It's...just...'**

'It's fine. That pain is buried, just like it the rest of it. I'm alright. I swear.'

**'No, you're not. It's gnawing at you, Naruto. You can't lie to me. Not when we're like this.'**

In response, Naruto pinched the bridge of his nose, and leaned against the limestone wall.

'Please, just drop it. It'll pass, and I'll be back to normal.'

Kyara didn't agree.

**'I'm not going to just drop it, Naruto. The death of those two Brawlers is affecting you, no matter how much you deny it. You need help.'**

'No, I don't. I can handle this. I won't just...'

**'I know you don't want to shove your burdens onto someone's shoulders, but I'm not asking. Tell me now, what's wrong?'**

Knowing that Kyara wouldn't rest until he fessed up, Naruto took his hand away from his head, and slid down the cave wall, taking a seat on the stone floor.

'Alright, fine. I'm feeling rather...numb. And that...void in the Hive Mind? It's starting to...get to me. I mean...' He shifted around, trying to make himself comfortable. 'I created these amazing, and intelligent beings. I nurtured them, watched them grow...I care for them so much. To feel, not see, but _feel _those two just...vanish? It was horrible.'

Naruto leaned his head back against the stone wall, closing his eyes.

'I've never known such...suffering before. Nothing, could ever compare. If _this _is what grief feels like, then I never, **ever, **to lose anything else again. If I lost you...or any of the beautiful, and magnificent women, who, impossibly, have managed to crawl in between the cracks of my heart of stone...I'm afraid...of what I would do. I would fear for everyone on this, miserable, little rock.'

He raised his hands to his head, and pressed his palms against his face. Naruto felt something cold, and wet against his palms.

What?

He pulled his hands back, and grew confused. Why were his palms damp? Was there water leaking through the roof of the cave?

A trail of what felt like water flowed down his face. It seemed to originate from his eyes.

Naruto dabbed a finger to the corner of his left eye, and the tip of his gloved digit came back, with a small amount of clear fluid on it.

More of the frigid water started flowing out of his eyes.

What was this called?

Oh...Right.

He was crying.

**'Naruto? Are you...?'**

'Crying? Yes.' The whiskered blonde wiped away the tears that trailed down his face. For a moment, he looked to his hands, with a faintly surprised look. 'I honestly can't remember the last time I cried. Actually...I don't think I ever have. Not until now, at least.' Naruto once more closed his eyes, and leaned back against the cave wall.

**'Well...If it makes you feel better, I'm crying too. Can't help it.'**

Naruto briefly chuckled, a few more tears streaming from his shut eyes, more of mirth, than bereavement.

'Sorry.' He brought his knees up to his chest, hugging them. 'It feels weird. Actually crying. Weird, but...not too unwelcome. I suppose, letting the floodgates open for a moment, is doing me some good.'

**'It is. I can feel that pain, your pain, just...melting away.'**

Indeed, Naruto's tears were beginning to dry, and soon enough, they stopped entirely. He blinked away the remaining tears, and after momentarily allowing his face to ripple with tendrils and bio-mass, the salty trails were gone.

'That's quite enough of the waterworks.' Naruto released his grasp on his knees, and stood up, idly dusting off his trench coat. 'I'll have more than enough time to practice jutsu later.' He was about to walk back to the mouth of the cave, only to remember.

His chakra was still merged with Kyara's.

Of course, the vixen was rather resistant to separating their chakras.

**'Nuh-uh! I'm not letting go!' **She protested, rather childishly. Naruto could easily imagine the pout on her face.

'We're still not certain of the side-effects. Could be something rather...unpleasant. Now, just give me back my...'

**'No! I like your chakra!'**

The whiskered blonde sighed, not out of exasperation, but amusement. A small smirk tugged at his lips.

'Well, I like your chakra too. But you don't see me hogging it, do you? So, can you just...'

**'Nope.'**

'Please?'

**'Not even.'**

'...Would a kiss suffice?'

It seemed she agreed, as the reality of the limestone walls around him faded away, to be replaced by the peaceful forest of his mind. The sun was shining down, and nary a cloud was in the blue sky. A small blue jay perched on his shoulder, and trilled. A series of quieter chirps sounded out, as if in response, and a few juvenile blue jays, their own feathers yet to obtain the full blue coloration of their mother, flew over to her, perching on his shoulder as well.

Naruto looked to the birds with a slightly twitching eyebrow.

If they fucking shat on him...

The birds promptly flew away at the sound of trees falling in the distance. And...they left a little gift behind on his shoulder.

The whiskered blonde glared at the white stain on his coat, casually side-stepping a charging Kyara, who proceeded to barge head-first into a nearby tree.

"Grr...fucking birds..." He growled out to himself. Willing the bird's waste away, he turned to the vixen, only to find her literally stuck in a tree. She was trying to extricate herself, but all that accomplished was make her kimono ride further up her plump, and wonderfully soft...

Naruto proceeded to slap himself, managing to banish those perverted thoughts. For now at least. With a brief sigh, he gripped onto one of Kyara's tails, drawing a quiet yip from her, and pulled her out. Roughly.

The vixen fell upon her rear, and idly rubbed her slightly sore tail. She turned a mock glare towards Naruto, with blue-silver slitted eyes.

"Owie...That hurt..." Kyara whined. But judging from the smirk she had, she was just having fun.

"No, it didn't." Naruto deadpanned. "Can I have my chakra back now?"

The vixen fluttered her eyelashes, and got to her feet, she closed her eyes, and puckered her lips. Naruto rolled his eyes, a smile growing on his face, and leaned down.

His lips met hers. The kiss started off chaste. And Naruto was intending on keeping it that way, but Kyara had other plans. She palmed the back of Naruto's head, keeping him from pulling back. The vixen deepened her kiss, her tongue snaking out, and probing around his mouth. In response, Naruto's own tongue began a small scuffle with Kyara's, neither really gaining any ground on each other.

Her free hand pushed against his back, and she pressed herself against him as hard as she could. Her soft mounds squashed against his firm chest, and Naruto could feel her nipples start to become erect. They continued kissing, a few pleasured moans from Kyara managing to leak through the seal created between their lips.

Naruto's eyes slowly returned to their normal blue-silver color, as a red light began shining through the skin of his cheeks, silhouetting the 'bones' of his jaw. The light moved down his mouth, and entered Kyara's, with a crimson light shining through her throat, before disappearing. Likewise, Kyara's eyes regained their original blood-red color, as Naruto's chakra was detached from her own.

Normally, this would be a disappointment. But, right now, she was a bit too focused on the increasingly passionate kiss she was sharing with Naruto. Lazily, she took her free hand off his back, and dragged it down his chest. She was about to reach his groin, but Naruto gently restrained her by the wrist. He pulled his head back, breaking the kiss. A soft whine from Kyara was stifled when he placed a finger across her lips.

"As enjoyable as that would be, I'd rather not wake up and find myself groping someone." Briefly, his face darkened, and he lightly shivered. "It was bad enough to nearly take Saya's innocence..." Naruto's features returned to normal, and he added, with a degree of uncertainty. "Well...some kind of innocence...I guess."

The vixen managed to pout despite the gloved digit on her mouth. What? She liked sex. When Naruto took his finger away, she decided to get a little payback.

"Mou...you're mean, Naru-koi..." A fluffy tail brushed against her kimono, loosing it enough that the creamy white skin of her shoulder was revealed, along with a large amount of cleavage. "Only Naru-koi can make me feel so good..." Kyara looked up to Naruto, red eyes watering. Her full lips quivered, as a quiet, completely false, whimper escaped from her throat. "And if Kyara doesn't feel good, then she gets sad..."

The vixen clinched it, with a single tear leaking from her left eye.

It was having quite an effect on Naruto. Outwardly, he still appeared calm. Inwardly?

'Oh my Kami. Must...resist...urge...to...comfort...' He repeated the phrase over and over, only to find it did nothing.

Eventually, he could bear no more, and vanished from the mindscape.

Kyara smirked victoriously, and pumped a fist.

'Ha! Take that Kushina! I can tease Naruto much better than you can!'

Her feeling of triumph quickly faded when something wet, and foul-smelling landed on her shoulder.

"Fucking birds."

**(Meanwhile)**

Naruto's eyes snapped open, and after making certain he hadn't gone on auto-pilot again, breathed a quiet sigh of relief, and began walking back towards the mouth of the cave.

When he returned to the portion of the cave he, and his group resided in, he noticed something odd.

Everyone was gone, except Haku, who was sitting down, humming a little ditty. Her eyes were closed, and she swayed to and fro in tune to the song. She was smiling, and her humming reflected her happiness, as it was upbeat, and cheerful. The air around her was cold, but not uncomfortably so.

A small snowflake drifted in front of Naruto's eyes, dancing on the thermals created by the sudden chill within the cave. The ice girl's humming grew louder, and the lyrical, and wonderful sound echoed throughout the cave.

Idly, Naruto noticed a large amount of snow was starting to form in front of her. He walked forward, making absolutely certain his footfalls were silent, and he got a closer look at the collection of snow.

It seemed to be making a face of sorts. There was an identifiable nose, lips, and what seemed to be spiky hair. Slowly, the face became more clear, and Naruto realized it was his own. He had to admit, Haku was impeccable. There were no flaws that he could see, a perfect replica of his features, only missing his whisker-marks.

The snow sculpture was smiling lightly, it's eyes looking off in the distance. Haku continued humming, and raised a finger to her creation, very carefully digging out three small trenches in the sculpture's cheeks. Soon enough, she was done, and pulled her finger back. Her humming grew louder still, as did her smile.

There...it was finished. It looked just like Naruto-sama...his strong jaw...those cute whisker-marks on his cheeks...those lips, that looked as though they were just begging to be kissed...

Unfortunately, Haku couldn't make her master's beautiful eyes, but it wasn't too much of a problem. She began to wonder, what would Naruto-sama think?

"I think it looks amazing, and incredibly flattering."

The ice girl squeaked, adorably so, in Naruto's opinion, as she whirled around, her cheeks becoming a flaming red in less than a second.

"N-Naruto-sama! How long w-were you watching..." Haku trailed off, her blush growing brighter. Hopefully, Naruto-sama didn't hear her thoughts about just how handsome he looked...

"Well, I did." The whiskered blonde raised an eyebrow. "You think I'm handsome? Really?"

The raven-haired girl nodded, her cheeks brightening even more.

"Y-Yes...Naruto-sama..." Haku managed to breathe out.

Naruto briefly chuckled, a smirk coming to him. He strode forward, until he was in front of Haku. The ice girl looked up at him, in slight confusion. His smirk widened, as he lightly took hold of her face, thumb coming to rest against her chin.

"Well then...May as well let you know, that I think, you look..." Naruto leaned in, free arm wrapping around Haku's waist. Her blush intensified to the point her neck was starting to become flushed. His breath came out frigid, not that Haku minded at all, as ice slowly began forming over her porcelain skin.

"_Beautiful..."_

Their lips met, and Haku was certain she would never again feel so happy. Her eyes fluttered closed, as she focused only on the kiss. She was still a bit unsure, and considering how Naruto _was _her master, she let him take the lead. He gently nipped at her upper lip, or his tongue would probe around in her mouth.

Haku felt a faint breeze go across her mind, carrying a silent message.

_It's alright. You can respond. Just try your best._

A sense of confidence welled up within her, Naruto's telepathic words sparking a desire within her. A desire to please her master, in any way possible. Slowly, Haku's own tongue rose, gently pushing out Naruto's own. She managed to get it within Naruto's mouth, only for his lips to suddenly close, clamping down on her tongue. Her ice blue eyes opened, to the sight of Naruto's blue-silver eyes, glowing with amusement.

_Got you._

Much to Haku's nigh infinite disappointment, her master broke their kiss, letting go of her tongue. She felt like whining. Naruto-sama was so mean...

Her master's smile quickly dissuaded her of such notions.

"I'm certain you found that pleasant, but I'd like to know..." Naruto looked around the cave, from the ceiling, to the floor. "Where's everyone else?"

Haku was compelled to answer.

"The rest of Naruto-sama's group is behind you, Naruto-sama." She said calmly, albeit, a bit stunned.

"What?! I thought I told you to keep it a secret, Haku-chan!"

At hearing Anastasia's voice behind him, Naruto turned around, and felt his eyes nearly bulge out of their sockets.

**'Wow...even I have to admit, if they're planning what I think they're planning, it might hurt. A lot.'**

Every single Brawler was grouped up, crouched low, and ready to pounce. From the way their little tails were wagging, and bio-luminescent tongues hanging out, their target was Naruto. Not to mention the Hydras, who were coiled up, similar to a snake, ready to lash out at a moment's notice. The Infected earth-worms didn't really have any features from which you could determine their emotional state, but from the telepathic link, Naruto could feel a hint of playful eagerness from the giant Infected.

Then there was the rest. His girls, consisting of Kushina, Anastasia, and Saya. Mikoto and Saiyuri were off to the side, neither really wanting to participate in the soon-to-be dog pile. More out of a desire to not be crushed, rather than anything else.

Anastasia, apparently the leader of this little plan, had on a large grin, and her blue-silver eyes glowed mischievously. Kushina, on Anastasia's right, had a similar grin, her own blue-gray eyes glowing as well. Saya, on Anastasia's left, simply had a small smile, her green eyes closed.

The curly-haired woman placed a fist on her hip, and dramatically pointed a finger at Naruto.

"Charge!"

With Anastasia's cheerful cry, the Infected quite literally, leaped into action.

Naruto stared at the oncoming tsunami of jovial mutant animals, his eyes widening until they resembled dinner plates. A large shadow was cast over him, and his jaw slackened, hanging open loosely.

Then they descended upon him.

"OH SHI...!" His cry was quickly cut off, as he was buried underneath the mass of Brawlers, and Hydras. Naruto was quickly covered from head to toe in slobber, as each Brawler took the time to show how much they loved him. With seeming ceaseless licking. Thankfully, they stopped, and managed to extricate themselves, leaving the Hydras to happily coil around Naruto.

The whiskered blonde was revealed, currently being gently lifted by a Hydra, it's tail wrapping around his waist. His eyes had been replaced with spinning swirls, and he groaned dizzily.

"Oh Kami...I can see stars...wait, no, I see galaxies...everywhere..."

To further accentuate his disorientation, three Darters formed on his shoulders, and began lazily circling his head, squeaking lightly. The Hydra holding Naruto tilted it's beaked head, and leaned in, observing the flying creatures around it's creator's head.

Eventually, Naruto managed to regain his senses, shaking himself free of his stupor. The Darters retreated back into him, and he turned to the Hydra that had him in it's grasp.

The Infected earth-worm tilted it's head again, and lightly tapped him with it's beak. It opened it, releasing a short, rumbling warble.

"Yes, I'm perfectly fine now. Mind letting go of me?" Naruto answered.

The Hydra trilled, it's bladed tongue momentarily flitting out.

"No, I'm not lying. Promise."

Satisfied, the Hydra lowered Naruto to the floor, releasing him. It briefly warbled again, before turning to it's two brethren, and after motioning towards their resting area within the cave, slithered away, followed by the other two Hydras.

Naruto was about to address Anastasia, but something pushing lightly at his hand drew his attention. He looked down, seeing the Alpha Brawler. It's normally crimson eyes were a deep blue, and it gazed upon him with concern.

The whiskered blonde rolled his eyes, and patted the Alpha on it's head.

"Didn't you just hear me? I'm fine. Really." The Alpha's demeanor brightened, it's eyes becoming blood-red once more. It lifted it's head, and was about to lick Naruto's face, only for him to muzzle it with his free hand. It briefly released a piteous whine.

"No. I've already been bathed once." The muzzled Brawler struggled momentarily, before giving up. It's scarlet eyes looked to Naruto, shining with unshed tears. He valiantly resisted the urge to let go of the Brawler, only for his will to crumble once a single, salty tear escaped from it's right eye.

Eyebrows twitching, Naruto relented, and released the Alpha. If it had lips, they would have curled into something that resembled a smirk.

Just as it's glowing orange tongue was a mere centimeter away from Naruto's nose, one of it's smaller brethren tackled it, intending on taking the right to Naruto. The Alpha, playfully, turned the smaller Brawler over, and clamped it's jaws down on it's smaller cousin's neck, softly so as not to cause any undue pain. The other Brawlers noticed the lighthearted scuffle, and bounded over, joining in the mock battle.

One could imagine Ameyuri's surprise at the sight, when she walked into the cave. She raised an eyebrow, and looked to Naruto.

"Um...What's going on?" The red-haired swords-woman said, while walking up to Naruto. She crossed her arms over her chest, awaiting an answer.

The whiskered blonde shrugged.

"We were just having some fun. Anyway..." His eyes momentarily flashed crimson. "What's the Mizukage up to?"

Ameyuri briefly stiffened, and answered in a mechanical manner.

"Yagura has ordered the draft. Around five hundred civilians have been inducted into the Loyalist ranks. They are very weak, and know only the most basic aspects of chakra usage. They will stand no chance against either us, or the rebels."

She blinked once. "In addition, the unexplained disappearance of Loyalist shinobi at the small outpost near the rebel's current position, and at Red Delta Base has aroused paranoia, and fear in the remainder of the Loyalists. Expect them to significantly more cautious, and to patrol around the military encampments they are stationed to more frequently, and for the patrols to be more wary of their surroundings." Ameyuri's message having been delivered, she grew silent.

Naruto hummed lightly, before releasing Ameyuri, and she returned to normal.

"Thank you, Ame-chan. This information will be useful." He raised a finger, tracing it along her jaw. She smiled, revealing her shark-like teeth. "Dismissed."

Ameyuri bowed her head, and after pecking Naruto on the cheek, walked away, taking a seat on the cave floor, bringing out her Kiba, and observing them, making sure there were no chips or any other structural weaknesses in the twin swords.

Naruto scrutinized the legendary swords, with a curious eye.

The blades themselves were constructed of an incredibly rare, chakra-conducting metal, with the blade itself, being somewhat unusual, in that it was completely straight, with two smaller blades jutting out, one near the hilt, the other near the tip of the main blade, likely to serve as cross-guards, or to widen a wound when thrusting with one of the swords. The hand-guard was circular, and the handle itself was cylindrical.

He slightly frowned at that. A cylindrical handle, while good on paper, simply didn't account for how the human hand worked. Perhaps it could be modified, made more ergonomic. It would also be good to see just how the Kiba actually focused Raiton chakra. Maybe he could replicate it, and electrify his own Blade, Whipfist, or Claws, or even learn to produce Raiton chakra immediately, rather than transform his chakra first.

The Kubikiribocho, with it's large, heavy, and almost paddle-like blade, was certain to carve through flesh easily, it was still fairly useless, considering his own Blade was similar to it in most respects, and it could lengthen and shorten to his will. That, and considering the Blade was actually a part of Naruto's body, he could control it very easily. The only thing that was interesting about the Kubikiribocho, was that it could use the iron in it's victim's blood to repair itself. Somehow.

Naruto was torn from his thoughts, when he felt a slight tap on his shoulder. Raising an eyebrow, he turned, to look at Anastasia. The viral woman had a slight smile on her face, and her blue-silver eyes glowed in amusement.

"So, who organized that little attack on me?" The whiskered blonde deadpanned.

Anastasia stifled a chuckle, and pointed to Kushina. The red-haired woman had an innocent expression on her face, one that Naruto knew was entirely false.

"What? It wasn't as though you were really hurt." She said. Naruto could imagine a small glowing halo floating above Kushina's head.

"Alright, fine. I'll admit, it was kind of funny." It was true, Naruto did enjoy the attention his Infected gave him. Well, at least, the non-Necromorph Infected.

Kushina smiled, and cheerily strolled up to Naruto, kissing him chastely.

"I know. Tell you what, if you want to learn, I can teach you how to prank. It's fun. Trust me."

Naruto smirked, his eyes glowing in amusement.

"Very well. I'm not very experienced with practical jokes, so yes. I could use some pointers." His smirk widened into a smile. "And who better, than you? You did some rather hilarious pranks in your childhood."

Kushina giggled, pressing her forehead against Naruto's chest.

"Well...painting over the Hokage Monument was the prank I was proudest of. Who knows?" She looked up, chin resting on her son's chest. "You could do a prank that makes even that pale in comparison."

He scoffed lightly, idly running his hand through Kushina's red hair.

"I wouldn't know. My idea of something funny likely involves more pain, and screaming."

The red-haired woman chuckled, and stepped away from Naruto.

"I'm fairly certain I'd laugh at that too." She was interrupted when a yawn came to her. "Ahh...I'm kinda tired..." Another yawn. "Mmm...okay, I'm going to head to bed now. Night, Sochi-koi." With that said, Kushina walked away, and crawled into a bed-roll.

Before Naruto could contemplate what activity could make Kushina tired at all, Anastasia decided to make herself known.

"Hey, Naruto?"

Raising an eyebrow at Anastasia's curious tone, Said whiskered blonde turned to her, and his eyebrow elevated further.

She had formed a Seal of Confrontation, and seemed to concentrating on something. Her eyes were closed, and after a few seconds, Anastasia huffed, releasing the hand seal, and opened her eyes, a slight bit of annoyance in her blue-silver eyes.

"Dammit." She hissed under her breath. She had seen the power that chakra afforded to it's wielders, and was curious to see if she could use it. In the attack at that base, she had consumed a few shinobi, and could feel an energy, likely chakra, flow into her body. Growing curious, Anastasia wanted to see if she could somehow manufacture chakra, but no matter how hard she tried, Anastasia was simply incapable of actually creating her own chakra. It was incredibly frustrating, to say the least.

"Can't use chakra?" Naruto asked, his eyebrow lowering.

Anastasia nodded, a bit angrily, and sighed in irritation.

"It's not that, I can use it, but the problem I'm having is making my own chakra. It's fucking annoying as hell." She made eye-contact with Naruto. "You have an idea as what the problem could be?"

He shrugged, placing a thumb on his chin in thought.

"Could be anything. It might have something to do with the fact you don't possess a soul." Seeing the slight confusion on Anastasia's face, he clarified. "Chakra is composed of two things, physical energy produced by a living thing's cells, and spiritual energy produced from either the soul itself, or the mind, created from an individual's experiences, and memories in life."

Naruto hummed quietly, before continuing.

"Do me a favor, and try again."

Anastasia nodded, and once more formed the Seal of Confrontation. But like before, nothing happened.

"Son of a bitch." She snarled, baring her teeth. "Absolutely fuck all!"

"Calm down." Naruto attempted to cool her rage. "Getting angry won't solve anything. I think I know the problem. It's because you lack a soul. I can feel the physical energy being created in you, but no spiritual energy." He sighed. "Until I manage to figure out a solution, the only chakra you can actually obtain is from consuming shinobi. It's not perfect, but it'll have to do for now."

"I suppose. Man...Being able to throw around fireballs willy-nilly would have been so fucking awesome..." Anastasia murmured under her breath, in a defeated tone. She walked away, muttering to herself about something. Likely about her inability to produce chakra. Naruto faintly caught a few less than flattering words about some 'Supreme Hunter' and how easy it would have been to kill it with fire breath.

"Um...Right. I'll be heading out soon, I suppose to get some food for you all. Anyone want something specific?" Naruto called out. Almost immediately, Kushina rose her hand, poking her head out of her bed-roll.

"Ramen!" She chirped out.

"Ramen? Where could I get..." Naruto snapped his fingers. "Oh right. The Ichiraku's restaurant chain. There might be one here. Maybe."

Spluttering, Kushina looked to him, eyes wide.

"W-Wha!?" How could this be? The Ichiraku's just had a small stand! When did...?

Oh right.

Naruto had donated a few million ryo to them over the years, not really seeing the point in having that much money. He had used the bank accounts of every Konoha shinobi, and civilian he consumed, and over a period of six years, discreetly transferred all the money to a single account, under the pseudonym, 'Hannibal Lecter'.

Kushina had absolutely no clue as to where Naruto got the name, but that didn't matter much. Her son had, rather carelessly, turned her favorite food stand, into a world-renowned, extremely popular restaurant, with multiple restaurants constructed in the rest of the Hidden Villages.

Her eyes began sparkling, and she rushed over to Naruto, tackling him to the ground in a bone-crushingly tight hug.

"I wanna go! I wanna go! I wanna go!" Kushina cried out childishly. Her blue-gray eyes glowed brightly, and she had on a grin that split her face in half.

Giving a light grunt as Kushina's hug tightened further, Naruto yelled out his answer.

"Alright! You can come! Now, let go!"

Her grin widening, Kushina closed her eyes, and once more tightened her grip on Naruto.

"Yay! Come on!" She stood up, easily carrying Naruto. A golden chakra chain emerged from her back, wrapping around Naruto. Kushina released Naruto from her arms, and manipulated the chain, until a bound Naruto was just behind her, kept aloft by the chain.

"Whoa! Oh fu...Don't tell me you're going to..." Naruto trailed off, as Kushina sprinted away, Naruto in tow. A surprised shout tore itself from Naruto's throat, fading away, as mother and son grew more and more distant...

Mikoto stared at where Kushina and Naruto once were, a large bead of sweat dripping down her head.

"Ah...That's just like Kushi-chan..." The Uchiha Matriarch murmured to herself. Saiyuri looked to her mother, a look of disbelief on her face.

"Wait, what? What was Kushina like when you were kids?"

The bead of sweat was joined by at least eight smaller drops.

"If I so much as mentioned ramen, Kushina would grab hold of me, and drag me all the way to Ichiraku Ramen." A stream of tears began flowing down Mikoto's cheeks. "And I always had to pay...Kushina had a bottomless pit in place of a stomach, and so, the vast majority of my personal savings went to her ramen binges..."

Saiyuri gave a quiet squeak of surprise, as her mother suddenly grabbed her, hugging her tight. Mikoto's tears fell upon her daughter's cloak, as a few near-silent whimpers issued from Mikoto's throat.

"Even when Kushina was pregnant with Naruto, and she changed her diet for her maternity, she would get these cravings for those damn noodles, and always! She always came to me, and took as much ryo as she could from me!" Eventually, Mikoto could take no more of those memories, and began outright bawling.

Saiyuri awkwardly patted her mother on the back, trying, and failing to comfort her.

Meanwhile, Haku had managed to break out of the slight trance that Naruto's kiss had put her under, and after confirming that Naruto-sama had left with Kushina-sama, was about to enter her bed-roll when she heard Saya-sama moan out.

"This snow tastes so good! Haku-nee, do you mind making more?"

A chill going down her spine, Haku jerkily turned around, and looked at Saya.

The green-haired girl was happily eating the sculpture of Naruto-sama, the one she had worked so hard on...that she had put all of her love, and affection for Naruto-sama into...

"Aaah! No, Saya-sama! You're not supposed to eat that!"

**(With Naruto, and Kushina)**

The two had managed to reach Kiri in record time, with Naruto barely managing to calm Kushina down. It certainly wouldn't do for her to just wildly sprint into Kiri at full speed.

Naruto had his mask and helmet back on, and Kushina had the hood of her cloak pulled over her head. The pair rounded a corner, coming into view of the Ramen restaurant. It was fairly simplistic, with the normal Kiri architecture, the only real thing noteworthy, being the large, moving logo. It consisted of Teuchi Ichiraku's caricatured face, with a large, cartoonish grin, along with two of his arms. The left clutching onto a pair of chopsticks, a few noodles of ramen pinched between the two wooden sticks. The right, holding a sign, reading, 'Ichiraku Kiri'.

"**Come on. Ichiraku Kiri should be just over here..." **He trailed off, when he noticed something odd.

For some strange reason, there was a **_lot _**of dead people in the restaurant. Kushina seemed to notice it as well, as she turned to Naruto, blue-gray eyes glowing through the shadow the hood cast on her face.

"Naruto." She monotoned. "Do you feel that?"

The masked blonde nodded, fingers twitching for Kubikiribocho's handle.

"**Yes. Let's head in, but be careful. I have a really bad feeling about this."**

With that said, the two walked forward, swinging open the glass doors. The first sight, of was every single patron in the restaurant, dead, sprawled over their tables, or on the ground.

Naruto moved closer to a table, observing the bowl of ramen on it.

"**Huh. Fugu Sashimi Ramen." **He shrugged. **"That's why everyone's dead. They were served toxic food. Looks like the chefs prepared it wrong." **

"Hey Naruto!" Kushina yelled out from the kitchen.

"**What?"**

"Chefs are all dead too. Looks like they committed seppuku."

"**Well, shit. Now we can't have fresh ramen. Ah, well. Let's just get a table."**

Kushina walked back out of the kitchen, her hood pulled back. She looked slightly disappointed.

"Oh, come on! I don't want to eat cold ramen!" The female Uzumaki whined.

Naruto kicked a particularly portly corpse off a chair, and looked at the chair, with a bit of hesitation.

"**I sincerely hope you didn't fucking empty your bowels when you kicked the bucket." **After scrutinizing the seat, he deemed it clean, and sat down. **"Grab a bowl. Free food. I'm not going to complain."**

Kushina pouted, before grabbing a bowl of Fugu ramen from a nearby table, and after stepping over a few bodies, took a seat at the table.

His helmet and gas mask disappearing in a flurry of tendrils, Naruto reached down, plucking a pair of chopsticks from the cold, stiff fingers of another dead customer, as did Kushina.

"Itadakimasu."/ "Itadakimasu!" Both Naruto and Kushina said/yelled. They each grabbed a single piece of sashimi, and were about to place it in their mouths, only to be interrupted by a soft-spoken, gentlemanly voice.

"There you are, Naruto. I've been wanting to meet you for some time now."

Said whiskered blonde sighed, dropping his chopsticks into his bowl.

"Ah, shit...Can I please just get a moment to myself, for fuck's sake..." Naruto muttered to himself. "Okay, Kushina. Looks like another dead man walking. You want to kill him, or should I?" When his mother didn't respond, he looked up, a bit confused. "Um...Kaa-san?" Naruto felt an eyebrow raise when he saw Kushina looking behind him, with a slightly surprised expression.

"Oh, Shinigami-san! It's nice to see you again."

Naruto's eyes widened at what she said.

"...Death's right behind me, isn't he?" He whispered out.

"Hello again, Kushina. And to you, as well, Naruto. Don't worry. I'm only here for a chat. Do you mind turning around? I'd like to see your face. How you've grown." The whiskered blonde did so, albeit, a bit stiffly.

The Shinigami seemed to have taken on a human form. He wore a long, black overcoat, under which, was a buttoned, black sports coat, with a white dress shirt, and a pitch-black tie. Black suit pants, and black loafers, polished to a shine completed his attire.

Death had the appearance of a pale, elderly man, with shoulder-length, black hair. He was gaunt, and almost skeletal in appearance. Likewise, his face was narrow, with high cheekbones. His irises were also black, with no discernible pupils. Death gripped onto a mahogany cane, tipped with silver. On his right hand, a pure silver ring, set with a strange, white stone.

"...Er..."

Death raised a hand, with Naruto promptly closing his mouth.

"I imagine you're rather surprised, but then again, You likely never expected me here." The Shinigami twitched a bony finger, a chair sliding into place at the table, with him sitting down. "Like I said, I'm just here to talk." The bowls of cold ramen were flung off the table, replaced by a cardboard box, emblazoned with the words, 'Pizza'. "Go ahead, take a slice. I went to a bit of trouble to acquire this."

The pizza box swung open by itself, revealing the freshly baked pepperoni pizza within. A few paper plates materialized on the table, with Death passing them out to Naruto and Kushina. He grabbed a single slice, a few strands of cheese hanging loosely from it. Death raised a thin eyebrow.

"Well? Aren't you going to eat, Naruto?"

Said whiskered blonde stared blankly at nothing in particular.

He really...**really...**_**REALLY...**_hated his life sometimes.

* * *

**AND I AM BACK! OH YEAH! **

**Anyway, last chapter was a disaster, thereby proving, I am not a master. Bad rhyming aside, I am NOT going to repeat that again. Ju...Just no. Hopefully, this chapter is better than that piss-poor example.**

**Make sure to review!**


	33. Chapter 33

_Chapter 33_

_A favor for the Reaper_

"Sentence." _-Speech_

'Sentence.' _\- Thoughts_

**'Sentence' **_-Kyara's/Kyuubi's mental dialogue_

"**Sentence." -**_Distorted speech/__Jutsu._

* * *

Naruto lifted a slightly trembling hand to his face, and released a long, heavy, and exasperated sigh.

"Is there something wrong, Naruto?"

He twitched lightly.

"Why, not at all. I'm just currently canoeing down Shit Rapids, and as it turns out, the Rapids lead to a waterfall. Or in this case, Diarrhea Falls. And I don't have a paddle."

Death raised an eyebrow at the rather odd saying, before steepling his fingers, leaving his pizza alone for a moment.

"I imagine you're rather surprised. Well..." He momentarily grabbed a nearby fork, and after lancing a portion of pizza he had cut earlier, he continued.

"As I said before, I'm here to talk with you, Naruto." Death, apparently finished speaking, returned to his meal.

The whiskered blonde dragged his hand down his face, and leaned back in his chair, looking at the Shinigami.

"Alright. What about?"

Death swallowed, reaching over, and drank from a large soda cup with a large red plastic straw he had also brought, audibly slurping. Once finished with his soft drink, he placed it down with a soft thud on the wooden table.

"A few things. You can choose what to discuss." He turned impassive black eyes to Naruto. Said whiskered blonde narrowed his eyes.

"Okay. How about the fact you gave me the Blacklight virus? Why? And what do you intend to do with me?"

"Well, because I wanted to. Do you need anymore reason?" Death raised a hand, pointing a single, bony finger to Naruto. "And look at how powerful you've become as a result."

Naruto suppressed an enraged snarl, closing his eyes, and forcefully exhaling through his nose. He re-opened his eyes, now blazing crimson.

"That doesn't answer either of those questions." Kushina, feeling Naruto's growing anger, cast a worried glance to him.

The Shinigami lowered his hand, not intimidated in the least. If anything, he seemed amused.

"Alright, fine. I gave you the virus, because you interested me. That, and I would like to see this planet gone."

Naruto's eyes glowed slightly brighter.

"With me as your WMD. First, it was Hamura, and now you. Why? Why should I put any effort into hastening this world's destruction?"

Death reached out with a thin arm, grabbing another slice of pizza.

"Well, I sent Hamura to you, so hopefully, that clears things up for you." He placed the greasy slice on his paper plate, starting to cut it into pieces with a small knife. "I want this little rock gone, because, for some reason, I find myself coming to this planet more often than I would like. I need to maintain The Natural Order in the entire universe, as well as every other."

His pizza having been sliced into even, small portions, Death put the knife down, grasping onto a nearby fork.

"I must admit, I find it a little irritating. This is just one, tiny planet, in a generic solar system, in a galaxy that's only just stopped sucking on it's dummy." He made eye-contact with Naruto, the whiskered blonde not flinching at all. "I am very, _very, _old, Naruto. And more powerful than you can currently process. And so I'd rather not constantly have to come back to this backwater anymore. I took your fa..."

"Minato Namikaze is nothing to me. Much less, a father." Naruto whispered out, bitterness, and fury in his tone.

Death raised an eyebrow.

"Ah. You hate him, don't you?" Naruto's silence was enough. "Very well, I suppose I can offer you an incentive. I'll give you his soul, to do with as you please."

Naruto crossed his arms, his eyes slowly becoming solid red orbs.

"I care nothing for him. Offer something else, something which I actually want, and I may consider it."

The Shinigami lowered his eyebrow, and after eating a single piece of pizza, continued.

"I see. That's good. I don't care much for those consumed by that selfish desire for vengeance. Very well. What can I offer you?"

His eyes returning to their normal blue-silver color, Naruto uncrossed his arms, and leaned forward.

"I've already removed myself from whatever prophecy Kami had, right?"

Death nodded briefly, quickly returning to his food.

"Yes. I must thank you for purging Asura from within your chakra. I've been meaning to reap that fool for some time now. I presume you want to know who Indra's chakra transmigrant is then?"

Naruto curtly nodded.

The Shinigami sighed quietly, placing his fork down.

"Oh dear. You won't like what I'm about to say." When Naruto narrowed his eyes, Death continued. "That other fool is bound within Saiyuri's chakra."

"_**What?"**_ Safe to say, Naruto was **NOT **pleased to hear that.

Death continued on, ignoring Naruto's growing rage.

"You can remove him. Project your soul into Saiyuri, and drag him out. You can do so, while in the process of turning her into an Evolved. I'd much prefer if he was kept intact. I'll deal with him later.

Naruto once more calmed himself, releasing a heavy sigh, once done, he returned his attention to The Shinigami.

"Wait. I need to know something." Death, having returned to his food, looked up at Naruto. "What about that? My spiritual abilities, and fact that I can consume souls along with the body."

The Shinigami ate another piece of pizza, and responded.

"Ah, that's right. That's my fault. When I helped seal the Kyuubi into you, there may have been...side-effects. It's not every day I help seal something away. And the...soul destruction...absorption, one of those two." Death waved a hand around, and he looked to Naruto, a bit of curiosity on his gaunt face.

"That's something rather odd. When Kami designed the human soul, it was meant to be indestructible. You have a rather unique skill, Naruto. Not even I nor Kami can destroy a soul. Not that I would try. I maintain The Natural Order, I don't muck it up. That and...you don't seem to be bound to it."

Naruto grew somewhat confused.

"Um...okay. D-Don't you care about the souls I destroy? You're supposed to preserve this 'Natural Order'. I'd imagine the utter annihilation of any soul would give you a headache at the very least. And you said I'm not bound to it?"

The Shinigami took a single sip from his soda cup, and looked to Naruto, still with a neutral expression.

"Not really. You know from Anastasia's memories that there are other universes with humans. I don't understand Kami's infatuation with the little amoeba. She has them spread out across reality, to the point I'm hard-pressed to find one without the annoying protozoa. And why do you think I'm asking you to destroy this planet? If I could have, I would have."

The whiskered blonde leaned back into his chair, once more crossing his arms.

"Alright, say I actually do reduce this planet to a few trillion chunks of rock. What then? And since Kami is so adamant with this prophecy bull, wouldn't She be rather pissed at me, for not only breaking free from Her chains, but also killing a planetful of her most beloved creations?"

Death nodded, idly chewing.

"Yes, She would be. So, in return for doing me this favor, I'll shelter you, oh...for a hundred thousand years or so. Let Her calm down. Once Her wrath has cooled, I'll let you go, to do...whatever it is you do."

"Favor?"

At hearing Naruto's confused voice, Death swallowed, directing his full attention to him.

"Yes. A favor. I am not ordering you to destroy this place. I am asking, as a favor. I cannot stress that enough." The Shinigami rested an arm on the wooden table. "You have a great potential, Naruto. A potential which I want to see you reach. And you won't have to destroy the world so soon. I'll give you a deadline, a few thousand years from now, give or take two hundred."

Apparently done with the chat, Death rose from his chair, his cane clacking against the tile floor of Ichiraku Kiri. Just as he was about to walk out, Naruto stood as well.

"Wait. What about my girls? My Infected? What will happen to them?" He tried his best to keep the slight fear he felt out of his voice.

Death adjusted his tie, and brushed away a few motes of dust that clung to his coat.

"They'll be fine. They can all accompany you." He lowered his free hand, a briefcase materializing in it's grasp. He looked down, opening it with a soft click. Immediately, a small white orb of light floated upwards from every corpse within the restaurant. They drifted around for a moment, before suddenly being flung towards the briefcase. Once every soul had been stored within, The Shinigami closed the briefcase, with it fading away.

Death walked forward out of the restaurant, halting once he stepped foot on the street. He placed both hands on his cane, and turned to Naruto.

"Oh yes. I almost forgot. Kami knows what we're planning. And She isn't too happy about it. I doubt She'll personally visit you like I did, but it's better to be safe than sorry. Expect an angel or two to visit you. Soon. Very soon, in fact."

With that megaton bomb dropped, Death looked forward, and walked away, disappearing into the thick fog that draped over Kiri. There was a faint sound of a horse whinnying, and galloping away.

Naruto stared at where The Shinigami was once, before suddenly keeling over, and falling onto his knees.

"Holy...Fucking...Tap-dancing...Christ..." He muttered to himself. "Gah...I have never been so tense before. Son of a bitch..."

**'Well...at least you kinda...sorta got Death on your side...maybe?'**

'Kyara...shut up. Trying...to relax...'

**'I can help you...'**

'Not in the mood for sex. Not for a while. Fuck...'

**'Mou...'**

Ignoring the insatiable vixen within himself, Naruto managed to get back on one knee.

"You okay, sochi?"

Hearing Kushina's concerned voice, Naruto relaxed somewhat, releasing a quiet sigh.

"Perfectly fine. I mean, it wasn't as though the fucking Grim Reaper was less than three feet away from me for the longest damn five minutes ever. A-okay."

Kushina giggled lightly, and got up from her seat. She knelt down near Naruto, wrapping a single, slender arm around her son's shoulders.

"Yeah, I can see why that would be somewhat stressful."

Naruto groaned lightly, and clambered to his feet, Kushina rising with him.

"Urgh...its times like these when I wish alcohol actually did something to me." He touched a hand to his head, quelling the minor headache he felt. "Anyway..." Naruto turned to Kushina, eyebrow raised. "You acted as if you saw him before. Well, I guess you did, just before you died." He briefly cringed. "Uh...right. Did he...offer to guide you to the afterlife or something?"

His mother nodded.

"Yep. I refused, of course. But our little conversation took too long, and well...I lost sight of you." Her grip on him tightened slightly, and in response, Naruto quickly took her in a hug. Kushina smiled at him, and continued. "I'm just glad I was able to come back to you..."

Naruto lightly kissed Kushina on the forehead, gently rubbing her back, and dragged his fingers through her long red hair.

"If what Death said is true, and I have no reason not to believe him, an angel of all things is gonna come here. For me."

Kushina sighed a little at Naruto's whispered words.

"Then we should prepare for the worst. See if that dusty Tome has any info on angels." She breathed back.

Naruto caressed Kushina's face with his free hand, dragging his fingers slowly down her beautiful face.

"That sounds good." He closed his eyes, leaned down, and pressed his forehead against Kushina's. "I think I preferred it when we weren't in the middle of divine bickering."

"Yeah...Naruto?" Naruto opened his eyes, making contact with Kushina's. "Until then, we need to focus on the here and now. This little war, and you getting stronger. You'll need to get more powerful. As much as you can."

Naruto's eyes glowed in agreement.

"I predict at the end of this war, I'm going to have to fight against the Sanbi. Your chakra chains..." At the mention of her chains, Kushina manifested one from her shoulder, laying it across Naruto's shoulder. "They were capable of restraining Kyara, right?"

**'Yes, they are. They were annoying back then, but now? I can think of _sooo _many other uses for them...'**

Once more ignoring the ravenous Kyara, he awaited Kushina's response. The red-haired woman nodded, and took on an inquisitive expression.

"You want to try and see if you can use them yourself?"

Naruto leaned his head back, and nodded.

"Yes. You won't need to teach me, I just need your memories. Mind if I...?"

She waved her hand.

"It's fine. I still don't know why you have to ask permission. You're my son. Everything I have is yours, you know that."

For a brief moment, Naruto's face twisted in slight distaste.

"I ask primarily because they're your memories. Not mine. I'm not going to just search through your head like that. I'm better than that."

Kushina chuckled, a small smile growing.

"And there it is. That chivalry again." Her smile grew into a grin. "Alright, I'll humor you. Yes, you can look in my mind."

Naruto rolled his eyes, reaching out with his gloved hand. He gently laid his palm against Kushina's forehead. She felt a strange sensation, similar to a breeze going across her very mind, before it vanished, with Naruto retracting his hand.

He looked to his shoulder, and summoned his chakra. A few wisps of black chakra wafted into the air, before thickening, and solidifying into a single, matte black chain. Naruto raised an eyebrow, the chain moving about a bit.

"Huh. It feels similar to extending a tendril." He shrugged, the chain lengthening and shortening, Naruto familiarizing himself with his newly acquired Chakra Chains.

Kushina looked at the chain with a curious eye, her hand coming up to it, grazing a few fingers against the black chain.

"Why is it black? My Chakra Chains are gold."

"Likely because my own chakra is black in color." Naruto briefly took on an inquisitive expression. "Not sure why. Multiple theories on that. My own relative insanity being one of them."

Kushina looked away from the chain, making eye-contact with Naruto.

"I wouldn't say you're insane. Just...troubled."

The whiskered blonde shook his head, the Chakra Chain dissipating into chakra, and returning to him.

"And that's where I stop talking. I know where these conversations usually go, and as much as I enjoy it, now really isn't the time or place." He looked around the restaurant, idly poking at a nearby corpse with his boot. "Considering our surroundings, I have a feeling such an action would be rather odd. Well..." Naruto stretched his arms for a moment, starting to walk to the exit. "We should probably head back."

"What about the bodies? And whatever this...'pizza' is?" Kushina questioned.

"Eat them, of course. You need to start gathering some mass anyway. You know how to consume?" Naruto halted, turning to Kushina.

She crossed her arms, put one hip out to the side, and raised a thin, red eyebrow.

"Of course." Kushina briefly shivered. "Ana-chan is a very good teacher."

Naruto nodded, and turned fully to her, placing his hands behind his back.

"Good. Let's see...there is about...oh...forty-five patrons here? How many chefs were there?"

Kushina raised her hand, all five fingers splayed out.

"So fifty bodies, and assuming they all weigh around...one hundred fifty pounds, that is almost three and a half tons of bio-mass. A good haul." Naruto cast a glance at the corpulent corpse he had kicked onto the floor. "He might weigh around three hundred or so pounds. Eh. More bio-mass for you."

Kushina laid a hand across a body draped across one of the wooden tables, with obvious signs of algor mortis. She focused, and the corpse began breaking down into simple organic compounds, a mass of black fluid, with a few strands of red within. The bio-mass was drawn into her arm, leaving the table empty.

With a look of discomfort, she reached into her chest, the 'flesh' opening, revealing the interior of her body. It was hollow, devoid of organs, or bones. A few articles of clothing could be seen within, Kushina's intended target.

With a grimace, she plucked the crumpled, green T-shirt the body was wearing, out of her body, tossing it away. Likewise, Kushina disposed of the white shorts, as well as the simple straw sandals.

"Ugh. I hate having to do that."

Naruto momentarily looked confused, before he snapped his fingers in realization.

"Ah. You're having trouble with the clothes I assume?"

Kushina nodded, walking over to another corpse, consuming it as well. With an irritated huff, she once more reached into her chest, throwing away the kimono that belonged to the cadaver.

"Yep. You've consumed a lot of people, right? How you get rid of the inorganic material?"

With a shrug, Naruto walked back to the table, picking up the box of pizza. Hopefully, it'd be enough to satiate anyone who was hungry back at the cave.

"Usually, I just compress any apparel, or armor into a small cube, and eject it from my body." Naruto opened the box, raising an eyebrow at how the pizza pie wasn't missing a single slice. Out of curiosity, he removed one slice, placing on one of the nearby paper plates, and closed the box.

"Oh. I suppose that would work. Let me see if..."

Naruto ignored Kushina for the time being, perplexed at how the pepperoni pizza was apparently regenerating. Sighing, he decided to leave it alone, sealing away the box into a storage seal inscribed on his palm. Idly, Naruto grabbed the single slice, and took a curious bite.

"I'm done! We should probably..." At hearing Kushina cut herself off, Naruto looked to her, a few strings of cheese hanging loosely from his lips. She had an adorably puzzled look on her face, and her head was tilted to the side. "Um...What are you doing, Naruto?"

The whiskered blonde chewed for a moment, before awkwardly swallowing. His tongue darted out for a moment, whisking away the strings of mozzarella into his mouth.

"Erm...I'm eating pizza." Naruto's briefly glanced at the pizza, a spark of delight in his eyes. "It tastes great. Not as good as ramen, but still. Pretty good." He opened his mouth wide, and ate the rest of it whole. "Okay, we should really start heading back now." His helmet and mask re-formed, the lenses glowing a bright blue.

With a quick dash forward, Naruto swept Kushina into a bridal-style carry, the woman releasing a surprised squeak at the sudden action. The two disappeared in a cloud of thick, black smoke, Naruto's personal variant of the Shunshin no Jutsu.

Just as the smoke dissipated, a Kiri genin strolled into Ichiraku Kiri, his eyes closed, and a wide grin on his face.

"Oi! Sakamoto-oji! I want two bowls of your best Fugu Sashimi Ramen, please!" When no one answered, the genin opened his eyes, and looked around the empty restaurant in confusion.

Eventually, the now depressed genin walked back out of Ichiraku Kiri.

He really wanted to try some of that Fugu Ramen...he was certain it would have been to die for!

**(Meanwhile)**

With a quiet puff, and a burst of smoke, Naruto and Kushina reappeared in the sea cave, with the red-haired Uzumaki sporting a mild blush. He gently guided Kushina to the stone floor, and unsealed the infinite pizza box, handing it to her.

"Here. See if anyone's hungry." Naruto said, keeping his gaze on Saiyuri. His eyes were narrowed, and they glowed in intent.

Kushina raised an eyebrow, before walking away, pizza in hand. She saw Mikoto motion to her, and made way towards her. Hopefully, this 'pizza' tasted good, at the very least.

Naruto strode towards Saiyuri, schooling his face into a calm expression.

"Hey, Yuri-chan?" At hearing Naruto's voice, she turned around, a smile growing on her face.

"Naruto!" Without preamble, Saiyuri proceeded to run at Naruto, before engulfing him in a hug. He grunted in mild surprise, wrapping his own arms around her instinctively. "I missed you!" Her hug tightened briefly. "You haven't been talking to me lately...I was starting to get a little worried..." Saiyuri breathed out into Naruto's ear.

"Sorry. I've been busy, you know that." He whispered out. Five gloved fingers ran through her long, raven hair. "But like I promised, we had the entire day to ourselves, as well as tomorrow."

The Uchiha heiress sighed out in bliss, as Naruto's skilled fingers began massaging her scalp.

"That's good. Ah!" She cried out as his hand suddenly darted down to the curve of her lower back, deliberately scratching and kneading, Naruto doing his best to make her feel good.

"Well..." Naruto slowly said, tugging at Saiyuri's ear with his teeth. "I'm thinking of turning you into an Evolved, right now."

Saiyuri gasped lightly, Naruto stopping his ministrations. She made eye-contact with him, and happiness, and eagerness shone clearly through those onyx irises.

"Really?!" Saiyuri very nearly screamed out. Only a gloved hand over her mouth kept her shout from echoing throughout the cave.

"Yes. You've been wanting this for some time now, and I will admit, I am somewhat excited myself." Naruto smiled, it wasn't a wide smile, but it was more than genuine. His blue-silver eyes glowed with exhilaration. "But..." His smile momentarily faded, with Naruto raising a single finger. "Let's do so, in privacy."

The muffled Saiyuri nodded, an 'mmm-hmm' managing to get out between his fingers.

His smile returning, Naruto walked deeper into the cave, Saiyuri in tow. He heard a faint murmur of how pizza tasted good, before the voices of the rest of his girls faded away, becoming little more than barely audible mutters. He had walked a good two hundred feet into the cave, ducking into a small tunnel that was carved out of the limestone. It led to a somewhat round chamber, more than enough for his purposes.

Naruto extended a single gloved hand toward the center of the room, a multitude of black tendrils reaching out. They congregated, forming a roughly six and a half foot rectangle. The surface of the bio-mass construct quickly flurried about, forming the likeness of an elegant bed. With simple, white sheets, and a large pillow.

"You should lay down, Yuri-chan. This process...is usually rather..._painful._" The whiskered blonde warned Saiyuri. She resolutely nodded, not a single bit of fear on her face. Instead, she looked determined.

"I'll be fine, Naruto. Besides..." She laid down on the bed, resting her head against the soft pillow, locking eyes with Naruto, a loving smile on her face. "I know I'll be safe in your hands."

Naruto took a step forward, and leaned down over her. Their lips met, and then...

Saiyuri gave a muffled whimper, as Naruto's index Claw slipped in between her ribs, and pierced her heart. Their kiss was broken, when she grit her teeth, a pained growl tearing from her throat, as the Blacklight Virus flooded the chambers of her heart, being sent via blood, to the rest of her body. Saiyuri managed to stifle another cry, as more and more of the virus was pumped into her. It felt as though scalding water, or some type of acid was flowing into her.

A few tears dripped from her clenched shut eyes, and Naruto did his best to lessen the pain she felt, either by laying a hand on her forehead, and trying to somehow telepathically dull her senses, or by directly applying numbing Raiton chakra to Saiyuri's body.

**Please...make it through this...don't die on me...not now...**

That voice...it was Naruto's...

**If you were to perish now...I don't know what I'd do. You...you were the first human who actually cared about me...w-who...loved me. I beg of you! Don't die!**

No! She wouldn't just die! She couldn't! Not when Naruto needed her! Not when Itachi needed to answer for what he had done!

**Itachi...that bastard. He almost killed your entire family. Even now, you still sometimes get nightmares. You would rush to me, crying, and screaming all the while. And it hurt..._so much..._knowing I couldn't do anything to help you...I promise you...I'll beat him into a senseless, bloodied heap of bones, and meat...and drag his pathetic, broken form to you. Let you decide his fate.**

Saiyuri felt whatever agony she was feeling fade at that. When Naruto made a promise, he kept it. No matter what. She knew, then and there, that Itachi's fate was sealed. Naruto would make short work of him. And once her brother was out of the picture, she could finally put those horrific memories of her clan's massacre in the past. Where it belonged.

**I can feel it now...the link...oh, Saiyuri...can you feel it? It's..._wonderful..._**

_Yes..._She could feel everything now. Naruto's love...his hate...everything...she never felt so at peace...Naruto was so much like her...this...felt..._magnificent_._.._

The now Evolved Saiyuri moaned quietly, as Naruto retracted his Claws. She quickly fell asleep. She never looked more at peace with herself. He reached out, tucking a few loose ebony strands behind her left ear. With a soft kiss on her forehead, Naruto leaned back, a few tears of joy trickling down from his eyes.

"Sweet dreams, Yuri-chan."

His happiness quickly faded, as he held up his clenched right fist. There was a bright white light shining through the gloved digits.

_**Indra...**_

Naruto's eyes became pitch black, as he opened his mouth to an inhuman degree, the once-human teeth giving way to countless, needle-like fangs. With his head tilted back, Naruto held the eldest son of the Rikudou Sennin's soul over his maw.

With the desire to see Saiyuri freed from Kami's machinations, Naruto let go, and dropped Indra's soul into his mouth.

* * *

**WHA-POW! CLIFFHANGER! And I am back! Man. Sorry about not uploading a chapter recently. This rather annoying thing, called 'Real Life' just wouldn't stop bugging me. Anyhoo, Make Sure to Review! If you have questions, either ask them in a review, or just PM me. **

**Buh-Bye!**


	34. Chapter 34

_Chapter 34_

"Sentence." _-Speech_

'Sentence.' _\- Thoughts_

**'Sentence' **_-Kyara's/Kyuubi's mental dialogue_

"**Sentence." -**_Distorted speech/__Jutsu._

* * *

"Hm. Somewhat spicy, but still...rather...delectable, I must admit."

**'Didn't the Shinigami say to keep Indra intact?'**

'I believe he said that he _preferred _for Indra to keep existing. Besides, I'm certain that such an ancient soul has to have some good memories. Ah, here's one now.'

_**Say...Indra...right?**_

**Yes. And you are?**

_**You can call me a friend. Aren't you a bit bitter about your brother, Asura? I mean, honestly. He gets to be the leader of that whole Ninshu thing, and you just get kicked to the curb. Doesn't that make you angry?**_

**W-What? No. Asura, despite his overall...weakness...would make a good leader. The people look up to him.**

_**Oh? Please, you can't lie to me. You're angry. Dare I say, hateful. After all, you're the stronger brother. And what does dear old dad do? He ignores you, despite how powerful you are, with those eyes of yours, and your chakra, and chooses that simpleton Asura, over you. **_

**Shut your mouth! How do you even...!**

_**Don't interrupt me. You believe that peace can only be achieved through force, and strength. Prove it. Kill your brother, and take over Ninshu. That moron is going to ruin things later down the line. But you? You can take control of those people. You can usher in an era of peace. It might even be permanent. Come on...you know you want to...**_

…

_**What? Cat got your tongue?**_

**I...I'll do it.**

_**Good. I'm getting somewhere with you. What are you going to do with Asura?**_

**Kill him.**

_**And then?**_

**Take command of Ninshu, and with that, the world.**

_**Excellent. Well? Hop to it. Little brother's waiting for ya.**_

Naruto frowned slightly, as that initial memory was stored away. It seemed Indra was tempted into attacking his younger brother, Asura by some strange figure. Whatever it was, it certainly wasn't human.

**'That explains why Indra tried to kill Asura.'**

'You knew?'

Within the seal, Kyara curled into a ball on her bed, her ears flattening against her head and her tails wrapping around her body, as unwanted memories crawled up from the deepest recesses of her mind.

**'Yes...I...was there.'**

Naruto's frown grew at Kyara's subdued tone.

'Sorry. You don't need to talk about it. It's your past anyway.'

A pair of invisible hands stroked the whisker marks on his cheeks.

**'It's okay. Thanks for caring...' **Kyara took a deep breath, and relaxed. **'When Indra attacked Asura, he wasn't alone. He used his Doujutsu, the first Sharingan in existence, to take control of me, and used me to help him in his fight.' **She roiled in disgust as the memories of that experience drifted past. **'I had never felt so..._violated _before. After that, I grew to despise Indra. I suppose that's where my misanthropy really began.'**

'I...see. With Saiyuri an Evolved now, I've obtained some of her DNA, it means that, with some luck, I can replicate the Sharingan now. If you have a problem with it, I can...'

**'No no no! It's okay! Really! Um...' **Naruto was fairly certain a blush was starting to come over Kyara's cheeks as of now. **'I t-trust you with those eyes...I know you would never do anything to hurt me...'**

'Really? Thanks, _kitsune-chan~_.' He made certain to make his internal voice husky, baritone, and smooth. Idly, Naruto decided to visit her when he went to bed, spend some time with her. It simply wouldn't do for his tenant to start feeling lonely.

Kyara retreated into his mind, but not without yelling out for Naruto to stop teasing her so.

After a bout of inward chuckling, Naruto turned his attention to Saiyuri. The Uchiha heiress was, surprisingly, still sleeping, and even more of a surprise, peacefully. He walked forward to the edge of the bed, and gently lifted the dozing girl up. She murmured quietly, before shifting around, getting comfortable in his arms. A thin tendril extended from Naruto's knee, and reached towards the bed, the bio-mass construct merging into the serpentine appendage. The engorged tentacle retracted back into his knee.

He looked down, and after tucking a few loose raven strands behind her ear with another short-lived tendril, Naruto turned around, and made his way back to the main chamber of the sea cave.

It took around three minutes for Naruto, and the still slumbering Saiyuri, to emerge in the large chamber where the Infected, and Naruto's currently sleeping girls, resided in. Just outside, a full moon hung, and the stars twinkled in the night sky. A few dark clouds were visible in the distance, the occasional flash of lightning and rumble of thunder serving to warn anything below of the oncoming storm. From it's heading, the storm wouldn't come near the cave.

The Brawlers, as well as the Hydras were all dozing off as well, albeit, there was something entirely unexpected beside them.

Several drops of sweat began trickling down the back of Naruto's head as he beheld the half-eaten carcass of a _whale, _haphazardly dragged into the cave. From the cavernous puncture wounds in it's large body, he could assume the whale was killed by the Hydras, presumably while the Infected worms were swimming in the sea, and rammed full-force into the side of the whale with their sharp, bony beaks making short work of the aquatic mammal's blubbery flesh.

With their long, serpentine bodies, Naruto could imagine a Hydra swimming in a manner similar to a sea snake, just...**larger...**_**and hungrier.**_

It was likely a matter of environmental preservation that the Hydras don't stay too long in Kiri. In the Forest of Death, they primarily preyed on their non-Infected counterparts, the giant carnivorous earth-worm, and they occasionally snacked on the former top predators, like the giant centipedes, and giant tigers, as well the giant spiders. Not too many indigenous species remained in the Forest, unfortunately.

"Yeah, I was caught off-guard at the dead whale too."

Naruto turned to where Anastasia had spoken from. The curly-haired brunette arm's were crossed over her chest, and she gazed upon the Infected's large meal with an amused smirk, before returning her attention to Naruto, more specifically, Saiyuri.

"She's an Evolved now?" Anastasia asked, walking forward until she was just in front of him, and looked down at the sleeping Saiyuri. A small smile grew on Anastasia's face, as she gently caressed the young Uchiha's cheeks.

An eyebrow arched, Naruto nodded.

"Yes." He lightly tapped Anastasia's calf with the tip of his boot, drawing her attention. "Just out of curiosity, what do you feel when you look at one of my Evolved? Considering how you were smiling, I imagine it's likely some form of affection."

Anastasia's smile widened.

"I...guess they're like my family? Because, let's be honest. Where would I be if I wasn't with you?" The smile vanished as quick as it came, as uncertainty filled her eyes. "I'm brought against my will to a foreign world, where I don't know the language, the culture, and where the soldiers are all capable of superhuman feats. I thought I was powerful. But here? I probably wouldn't have lasted a week." Anastasia's demeanor quickly brightened. "With you though, I feel like I have a purpose. Like I have meaning, and I'm surrounded by friendly faces." Her eyes, identical to Naruto's own, shined with joy. "I've never felt like I..._**belonged **_so muchbefore."

Carefully placing Saiyuri in a nearby bed-roll, Naruto decided to ask a question that had been niggling him for a while.

"Do you still think about Dana?"

At the mention of _that _particular part of her former life, Anastasia grimaced, arms crossing again, and she looked away.

"Dana...I almost forgot about her..."

Naruto couldn't fault her for cringing at the thought of her former sister.

"While I may not have met her personally, your memories of her are all I need to know that Dana Mercer was a good person. Something that's all too rare in the Ninja World. I'd like to find an instance of humanity similar to the type you mingled with. At least they aren't as obsessed with the concept of war as those moronic junkies that passes for human are here." Naruto admitted, somewhat bitterly.

Stepping away from Saiyuri, he slowly wrapped his arms around Anastasia's slim waist, resting his chin on the top of her head. "Nevertheless, Dana simply is no longer a part of your life now." The pale brunette shifted in place, Naruto moving his head back, until her blue-silver eyes met with Naruto's, there was a hint of pain within those mirror-like irides.

"Cherish the time you spent with her." Naruto continued. "But accept that Dana is on another planet, in another galaxy, and more than likely in another universe." His gaze softened, as he palmed her head, pulling her into a hug. "You're not going to see her again. I'm sorry. Truly."

A few quiet sniffles from his chest prompted Naruto to squeeze tighter. It was enough to make that familiar burn in his chest reappear. That damnable sensation of guilt. He played, albeit unwittingly, and entirely unintentionally, a key part in her being taken from her home world. There, Anastasia would have had a life with Dana. Dana may have eventually expired, but it simply couldn't be ignored. She could have had at the very least, a semblance of a life back in New York City.

Who knows? Perhaps, Anastasia, or rather, as she called herself back then, Alex Mercer would have moved on from Earth, to the final frontier, once humanity there achieved interstellar travel. She would have gained that ultimate freedom.

Naruto knew it was illogical to take the blame for her appearance in the Ninja World. But as of now, reason simply wasn't present. Emotion took over. Something that Naruto didn't have much experience in. It only got worse, as Anastasia's sorrow washed over his mind.

A few tears began welling up in the corners of Naruto's eyes, completely against his will. But no sobs would tear loose from his throat. Nor a whimper. Nay, not even the slightest sniffle.

Naruto had no idea how long he held onto Anastasia. All he knew was, that after some unknown amount of time, she fell asleep in his grasp, and while the trails of liquid suffering were clear on her silky soft cheeks, she looked at peace. Gently, he guided her slumbering form to another bed-roll, and kissed her softly.

Standing, his mask and helmet re-appeared in a flurry of black and red tendrils. His little siesta was over now.

The night was still young. He needed to chat with Mei, and clear out another Loyalist encampment. The Necromorphs would suffice. Naruto felt no empathy for them. They were merely re-animated corpses, with their sole functions to kill, and make more of themselves. They were expendable. A living, feeling, and intelligent Brawler? Or Hydra? Not so easy to replace, and it hurt to lose one of them, he could very much attest.

With a single, telepathic pulse, the Necromorphs roused from their stasis. Rotting flesh stirred. Blades of bone waved around.

To count, there were ten Slashers, seven Leapers, and four Pukers. A single Brute would be good. The lumbering giants were suitable for both defense and attack. Perhaps he could ensure the first Brute he created suffered from none of the weaknesses the Ubermorph's Brutes did. The rather obvious, glowing yellow shoulder joints weren't good ideas, not even on paper.

Another telepathic command, and the Slashers and Pukers began to slowly make their way towards their designated target. The Leapers, meanwhile, were faster, bounding away. They would await their slower brethren at the rendezvous point set by their creator.

Naruto strolled out the cave. The sea was starting to get a little choppy, as the tide was coming in. It wasn't high enough to enter the cave, so no worries there. The storm brewed in the distance, just over his intended target. A major Loyalist command post. With the recent draft, a good chunk of the conscripts would likely be gathered there, along with at least sixty experienced shinobi. There were a few whispers of successful rebel operations, and the Loyalists were starting to feel the pressure.

Good. They would be easy prey.

An odd sensation came over Naruto, as the lunar rays struck his form.

**'That's my fault. You know about how my creator sealed the body of the Juubi in the moon?'**

Naruto blinked under the crimson lenses, not halting his approach to the rebel base.

'Yes. I highly doubt the truth of that, though. Creating the moon? Seriously?'

**'You're about to get all sciency on me, aren't you?'**

Ignoring Kyara's complaint, Naruto proceeded to 'get all sciency'.

'The presence of a large, natural satellite is kind of key to the formation of life on any planet. The gravity produced by any moon helps knock any future asteroids on an impact trajectory away from the young planet, allowing life to slowly, but surely, come into existence. I won't bore you with a full-on lecture, but I think that the Rikudou Sennin, creating the Moon, and sealing the empty husk of your kinda-sorta mother into it, is a load of bull-shit.'

**'Uh-huh. Anyway!' **Kyara chirped. **'A full moon does tend to have an affect on Bijuu, and in turn, their jinchuuriki.'**

'Really? So, what kind of effect does it have on you?'

**'I'm not fully certain. I do know my blood-lust is increased.'**

'I wasn't aware you had any blood-lust. At all.'

**'I haven't really gotten an opportunity to show it. But, sometimes, I do peek through your eyes, and see what you're doing, usually when you're killing something. It's actually rather fascinating.'**

'Ah. I don't feel...anything though. Right as rain. As odd as that is for me to say.'

**'Probably because you already have some experience in controlling your own urge to kill. Whenever Kushina tried to use my chakra, she usually ended up losing herself, and tore apart anyone who wasn't wearing a Konoha hitai-ate.'**

'I imagine Kaa-san didn't like using your chakra, then?'

**'Ha! She hated it! But, considering she was always a bit of a hot-head, Kushina didn't really have much of a choice. During the Third Shinobi World War, droves of enemy ninja committed suicide by angry Uzumaki, when her then-husband's genin team was reduced to just one brat.'**

'Kakashi. Who were the other two genin?'

**'There were twelve-year-olds, I think. Give or take a few years. Rin Nohara, and Obito Uchiha.'**

'That last one...Obito. What do you know of him?'

**'Well, he was a goody-two-shoes. Helped out civilians. Kushina treated him like a little brother. Rin, vice-versa. Where are you going with this?'**

'Obito's body wasn't found, and from Kakashi's account, Obito was crushed in a cave-in caused by Iwa-nin. He was pinned against the cave wall, and his supposed last act was to give Kakashi his left Sharingan eye.'

**'And the Masked Man has an eye-hole for his right eye. You do realize just how circumstantial this all is, right?'**

'Never said I was making conclusions. Just analyzing what evidence there is.'

**'Oh. And by the way, you're almost at the rebel base.'**

'Huh?'

Naruto returned his full attention to reality, and guess where he was?

Coming up on the shores of the island where the rebel's HQ was.

How the hell did he get here?!

Right...he had spaced out, and just kept walking in the general direction of the rebel's base.

He really needed to stop doing that...

"**Alright then...where are you this time, Mei?"** Naruto said to himself.

**(Command Tent of the Kiri Rebellion)**

"Yes ma'am, Mei-sama!"

Mei dismissed the chunin, and was left alone in the tent. With a sigh, she relaxed against her chair, and put a hand to her forehead.

Whatever Jupiter had done, it definitely worked. From the bodies, or at least, the puddles of liquid human that were left at the nearest Loyalist outpost, the man...demon...whatever, worked quick, and brutally. She honestly had no idea what on Chikyu could have done such damage to the human body. It seemed similar to her own Boil Release, as the victims were corroded by some type of acid. It was like nothing Mei had ever seen.

The acid seemed to combine hydrofluoric acid, which worked best for organic targets, like a Loyalist for example, and sulfuric acid, which was best for inorganic material, like stone, or synthetic clothing. Presumably, the acid would eat away at any armor the victim was wearing, before putrefying the victim themselves.

Mei almost felt sorry for the poor bastards. Whatever Jupiter was, she had no illusions as to how instrumental he was in the recent victories her forces have had so far. However small they were.

In addition, the sudden bolstering of the rebellion, with former Loyalists, who stated they were sent by Jupiter. The fear, and terror they showed when they spoke of him, Mei assumed that Jupiter had intimidated them into joining her ranks. From the way they _literally __**licked at her feet, **_he must have put the fear of Kami into them.

"**Hopefully, you're thinking good thoughts about me?"**

Now, of course Mei wasn't expecting Jupiter's electronically distorted voice to just sound out from _**just behind her. **_So her reaction really wasn't unexpected.

A single loud yelp, followed by her tumbling off of her chair.

Two brightly glowing crimson glass lenses stared down at her.

"**You've seemed to have taken a bit of a fall. Need assistance?"**

A low, feminine growl was his answer.

"No! Get away from me!"

Jupiter stepped back, gloved hands raising in faux surrender.

"**Alright. Just trying to help. No need to bite my head off."**

Mei didn't take her eyes off of Jupiter, and got back to her feet, idly dusting off her battle-dress.

Getting to business, Jupiter lowered his hands, and locked them behind his back. Slowly, he walked around Mei, only to reach down, and right the fallen chair, taking a seat on it. He leaned back, kicking up his boots onto the desk, and rested his hands on the back of his helmeted head.

Ignoring Mei's growing ire, Jupiter spoke.

"**So, I presume you saw the end result of my appearance at that little outpost?"**

Repressing the shiver that shot up her spine as those blood-red lenses locked onto her green eyes, Mei made to respond.

"**Don't answer that. It was a rhetorical question. Daft ningen."**

Snapping her jaw shut with a click of enamel, Mei momentarily considered glaring at her sinister benefactor, but, very wisely, decided not to.

"**Anyway!" **With that exuberant cry, Jupiter leapt to his feet, Mei quickly taking multiple steps back. Jupiter never broke eye-contact with her. **"I'm really only here to check up on you. See how your collection of misfits are doing. And I must say..." **Unnervingly, he strode forward to Mei, the auburn-haired woman backing up more. **"You're all doing rather well for yourselves. I mean, seriously!" **Jupiter made a wild gesture with his arms, and much to Mei's relief, he moved away from her, walking round the tent.

"**The first time I came here, I was honestly a bit shocked. This ragtag band of meat bags are supposed to overthrow Yagura? Hah!" **Swiftly whirling around, and pointing a single, gloved finger to Mei, Jupiter continued. **"But I gave you a chance! And look at what you've done! Ya really whipped them all back into shape!" **Much to Mei's eternal chagrin, Jupiter once more stalked forward, until he right next to her, his dark figure towering over her.

"**And I may as well be honest." **He longer sounded so bombastic. **"If you had disappointed me, well..." **She gave a quiet gasp as Jupiter slowly trailed his fingers down her curvaceous form.** "I would have _butchered you..._." **A pulse of terror quickly flooded Mei's body, as Jupiter's left hand shifted into immense _Claws. _**"From your age, and overall appearance, you would have made for an excellent brunch."**

Jupiter leaned down, the left filter of his gas mask tickling Mei's ear.

"**Do you know what human flesh tastes like?"**

When he didn't respond, she tried to whisper out an answer.

"N-N..."

Only to be muffled as a gloved hand clamped down around her chin painfully. Jupiter's fingers clasping against her cheeks.

"**That was another rhetorical question." **Those hellish red lenses glowed brighter, almost blindingly so. **"It tastes somewhat like veal. Fully developed. Not young, but not quite beef. It's a mild, good meat, with no sharply defined or highly characteristic taste like goat, or pork does." **A visible tremble shook Mei's form, as Jupiter slowly dragged his Claws through her long hair. **"Do you know why I came to you, Mei?"**

She kept silent, a few tears starting to well up in her eyes.

"**Good. You're a good little pet. You learned." **The metallic digits wrapped around her skull, conforming to every contour, and curve. **"I want something very simple from you, Mei." **A thin, red tendril snaked out from his shoulder, and slowly extended to her mouth. The slimy tip pressed against her lips, and Mei was powerless to stop it from forcing it's way into her mouth. No longer capable of holding them back, trails of clear lachryma openly flowing from her eyes.

The frigid tentacle wormed around, seeming to explore around the interior of her oral cavity. For a single, horrible moment, she thought the tendril was going to shove itself down her throat. Slowly, the tentacle retracted, coming free with a quiet pop of Mei's lips. She gave a single, panicked gasp once the tendril fully left her. The scarlet tendril was slick with saliva.

Jupiter suddenly let go of her, the Claws shifting back into a normal gloved hand. Mei stumbled backwards, raising a single hand in a feeble defense.

"**Your DNA." **He pointed to the saliva-coated tendril for emphasis. **"It was all I ever needed from you." **The tendril retreated back into his body. **"You are but a stepping stone Mei. I have eyes on numerous famed shinobi. For example, a Konoha missing-nin, named Hiruko. He seems rather interesting."**

Jupiter clicked the heels of his boots together, and turned around.

"**It's been a lark, Mei Terumi. We won't be seeing each other again. Cheerio!"**

The mask-clad demon vanished in a blood-red inferno.

Leaving behind Mei, who had huddled into a corner, hugging her knees against her chest.

Slowly, it dawned upon her.

While her rebellion had increased in strength, and the confidence she instilled in them wasn't misplaced, they were still out-manned. She...still needed Jupiter. That..._monster, _needed to come back.

And yet, for some strange reason, Mei couldn't shake the thought of him. He terrified her, humiliated her, and made her feel weak. Frail. Completely, and utterly without any power.

So why couldn't she stop thinking about _that_ _**fucking**_ _**demon?!**_

Eventually, Mei managed to kick any further thoughts of Jupiter into the back of her mind, and she got to her feet. Wiping at her lips, she briefly roiled in disgust.

She really needed to go wash her mouth out...

* * *

**SON OF A BIT...Ahem. **

**I'm back! Again. Sorry for the loooooooooooooonnnnnnnnnnnggggggg update time. I've been sick. So yeah.**

**No, I haven't forgotten about the Necromorphs so don't fricking remind me. Or about the Sharingan. **

**Make sure to Review!**

**Cookie if you can guess why Mei is thinking about Naruto despite the fact he basically orally raped her.**

**And no, Naruto won't leave Kiri so soon. Of course not. He still has a Kage to om-nom-nom.**


	35. Chapter 35

_Chapter 35_

_A change of targets_

"Sentence." _-Speech_

'Sentence.' _\- Thoughts_

**'Sentence' **_-Kyara's/Kyuubi's mental dialogue_

"**Sentence." -**_Distorted speech/__Jutsu._

* * *

A deep, tired yawn echoed throughout the cave.

"Ergh...its so fucking late...so tired..."

With a groan, an exhausted Naruto crawled into his bed-roll. He wasn't really tired physically, as his 'muscles' didn't produce lactic acid as true muscles did. It was more a matter of mental fatigue. A frustrated growl tore itself from his throat as he remembered the Necromorphs who were ordered to set up around another Loyalist base. Palming his face, Naruto focused on one of them, a Puker, to be specific.

Closing his eyes, he found his vision returned to him, but rather than the limestone ceiling of the sea cave staring back at him, instead, he saw what most would consider a revolting sight.

The Puker seemed to have been spotted, or perhaps one of it's fellow Necromorphs thought to itself; 'Fuck this, I'm going to kill someone! Who wants to join me?!', considering how it was currently taking care of what may have been a Kiri genin. Not that Naruto could really tell anymore. The Puker was spewing acid down the guy's throat, and some of the corrosive fluid splashed onto his face, quickly melting away the flesh, exposing the skull underneath.

The acid-spitting Necromorph let go of the incredibly unlucky genin, taking a few steps back, observing how the genin tried to regurgitate the acid, before falling limply forward, landing face-first in a puddle comprised of a mixture of his own stomach contents, and of the acid that had ravaged his internal organs.

With an irritated sigh, Naruto disconnected the visual link.

'Oh...son of a _fucking __**bitch. **_Why. Just _**WHY?**_ Gah...it can never be simple for me, can it? First thing when making Necromorphs. Keep. The. Damn. Brain. As. Intact. As. Possible.'

**'Okay, you're angry again. Big storm in here. Come on, you can tell me. What's wrong?'**

'The Necromorphs. Because, as it turns out, they can't be trusted to be even slightly stealthy, and from what I'm seeing, for all intents and purposes, they basically looked at some Loyalists, then each other, shrugged, and decided to throw all caution to the wind, and barge in head-first. While I can make Necromorphs from any corpse I find, I'd rather not let Kiri harvest the Blacklight virus. That would just lead to more headaches.'

**'You so sure about that? Because, from what I'm seeing, those zombies of yours are doing pretty well.'**

'What?'

This time linking with a different Necromorph, a Leaper to be precise, Naruto saw the last few moments of a kill, the Leaper's fanged mandibles having been buried into another Loyalist's skull. With a twist, the Necromorph ripped off the shinobi's head, and after extricating the severed head from it's mouth, the Leaper quickly pounced onto another shinobi.

'The hell? Shouldn't the Loyalists be...oh, I don't know...fighting back? What's going on?'

**'Apparently, those Necromorphs did the smart thing, and took care of the jonin who was in charge of the base. The rest of them are currently retreating. Draftees aren't as fast as them, so instead, they're taking cover in the buildings.'**

'Oh. Urgh...okay, if I keep doing this, I think I'm going to hurl, so that's enough.' Naruto ceased the visual link again, and sighed in relief as the queasiness faded away. Seeing the world in motion, and yet, knowing you're actually still is kind of a sensory overload. 'They might be able to make some Brutes at least. Good.'

**'Huh? I thought you had to personally infect the bodies.'**

'That's more work for me. I'd rather not have to drag myself all the way over there, so instead, I imbued each Necromorph with the ability to infect corpses. Meaning, I can just sit back and relax while they make more of themselves, by themselves.'

**'That's good. I can spend more time with my Naru-kun~'**

Inwardly chuckling, Naruto made to nod off.

"Um...Onii-sama?"

Only to be interrupted by Saya's unusually timid voice. A light groan, and Naruto sat up, eyes opening, and he turned his head to the left.

Saya was no longer dressed in the black cloak he had provided for his girls, having donned the white dress he knew her better in. She hugged herself nervously, and there was an embarrassed blush over the bridge of her nose.

"Nii-chan...can I sleep with you?"

Of course, Naruto didn't know she actually meant she wanted to just share the bed-roll, so his thoughts quickly went down the gutter.

Outwardly he was perfectly calm. His expression hadn't changed at all. Inwardly, however...

Unbidden, Naruto began to imagine Saya naked. Her nubile young form, with a shiny sheen of sweat, a bright blush on her face. She slowly dragged her hands up and down her delightfully petite body, silently begging for him. A few smooth, black tendrils slithered decadently up her form, one prodding gently at her...

Thankfully, before he completely lost himself to those damn lustful urges, Naruto's attention was brought back to reality, when Saya slowly waved her hand in front of his eyes, her blush having faded somewhat.

"Naru-nii?"

She jumped slightly, with an adorable squeak as well, when Naruto violently shook his head free of those traitorous images. Ceasing, he smiled at Saya, sincerely hoping she was using the _other _definition of sleeping.

"Course you can, Saya." Naruto pushed open the flap of the bed-roll, and a happy Saya quickly hopped in. She landed on him rather roughly, drawing a quiet grunt from him, and as she made herself comfortable, Naruto closed the bed-roll again.

"Can't sleep by yourself?"

Her head pressed against his chest, Saya's response was muffled.

"No."

Idly playing with her dark green hair, Naruto asked another question.

"Bad dreams?"

"Nuh-uh."

A small smirk tugged at the corner of his lips.

"Just wanted to be with me?"

"Yes."

His smirk grew into a smile, as Naruto decided to toy with the two vaguely ear-like tufts of hair. Saya stiffened, before relaxing once more, turning her head, and releasing a blissful sigh.

'Well, considering I have some time with her, may as well start letting her in on how she can use Blacklight.' Naruto mused. He had witnessed her transform at Red Delta, and was curious as to how she accomplished such an act.

"Saya-chan?" He said quietly, trying to keep her as relaxed as possible. "Remember that big game you played? How did you make all those neat tentacles? Who taught you how to do that?"

With what sounded like a purr, Saya managed to answer.

"Y-You can m-make tentacles too...s-so I copied you...I want to b-be like you Onii-chan..."

Unknowing of the knot tightening in Saya's stomach, Naruto digested the answer.

'Huh. Just like a child. Learning through mimicry...I have no intention of letting her become a fighter, but it'd still be a good idea to have her learn more offensive shifting techniques.'

Hastening the strokes on her 'ears', Naruto commended her. She was deserving of it.

"Wow, Saya. You must be a very smart young girl. Creating a tendril is more complex than it seems. Do you want to know more about changing your body? I have a lot of experience."

Now openly purring, with a soft rumble of her slim chest, Saya stuttered out.

"Ha...ngh...yes...Nii-sama..."

**'Why is she acting so much like a cat?'**

Blinking at Kyara's sudden comment, Naruto, fortunately, already had a theory.

'Perhaps, back in Otogakure, she ate a few cats in her youth? Seems like the best answer.'

**'Makes sense. She's about to climax.'**

Oh shi...

His waist became oddly damp, as Saya twitched on top of Naruto. Letting go of her hair, he observed Saya's pants come out in warm, visible clouds. Lifting her head, she made eye-contact with Naruto, her cheeks flaming red.

"You made me make a mess again Nii-chan..."

Wrapping his arms around Saya's shoulders, Naruto took on an apologetic expression, and opened his mouth in an effort to say sorry, only for Saya to do something completely and entirely unexpected.

She quickly darted her head forward, and kissed him.

Her tongue swiftly left the confines of her own lips, and entered Naruto's own. Any surprise, and resistance he could have given was stifled when two, bright red fleshy tendrils erupted from Saya's shoulders, wrapping around his head, binding him.

Unable to do anything aside from take it, Naruto decided to at least try and respond to the sudden locking of lips. Of course, by the time he mustered the willpower to actually tongue wrestle with his little sister, Saya pulled back, a thin trail of saliva still connecting their lips. Her tongue poked out, breaking the strand of fluid.

"What was that for?"

Saya giggled at Naruto's bewildered whisper, and retracted the tendrils that held his head in place. She laid her head back down on his chest, and promptly nodded off.

Cheeky girl...

Burying any shame he felt at enjoying the kiss, Naruto laid his head down on the integrated pillow of the bed-roll, and closed his eyes.

He re-opened them, finding himself in the tranquil woods of his mind. The bed underneath was of much better quality than the simple bed-roll, with silk sheets, and down feather pillows. Swinging his legs over the mattress, and planting them firmly on the hardwood floor, Naruto made to find Kyara.

He walked over to the door, and pushed it open, stepping into the living room of the small cottage Kyara called home. With a blend of Western architecture that Naruto learned of from the memories of those that Anastasia had consumed, along with the Eastern aesthetic that he was surrounded by on his own home world, the place was rather nice.

There weren't many doors in the metaphysical home. Only a few, and they lead solely to bedrooms. The living room, kitchen, and dining room were all part of the same room, only separated by distance.

The kitchen, for example, was modern, with shiny, stainless steel appliances, from a microwave, to a refrigerator and freezer combined into one, as well as a granite kitchen counter. The living room was primarily inspired by Eastern influences, with tatami mats and a small wooden slat on which a tea kettle, along with cups, rested on. And the dining room was a mix of the two, with a single, large table, surrounded by chairs with leather cushions. There were already a few plates on the table, the food there eternally steaming, and ready to eat.

Hmm. Where was she? The soft, fluffy tails wrapping around Naruto's body answered that.

"It's been so long, Naru-koi~"

The loving whisper into his ear prompted a smile to grow on his face, as he started stroking the vermilion fox tails around him.

"Sorry, Kyara. I've been busy, you know that."

Two slender arms wrapped around his waist, the silk sleeves brushing against his black trench coat. A pair of soft mounds pressed into his back, and the tips of Kyara's ears ticked the back of his neck.

"Mou...I know that, Naru-kun..." She tapped Naruto's side once, signaling him to turn around. Doing so, he was greeted at the wonderful sight of Kyara's features. That hair, the same color as her tails, freed from the bun it was usually in, cascaded down her back, two long bangs falling upon her chest. A gentle smile was on her face, her bright red slitted eyes glowing.

"While you were busy..." Kyara continued, deliberately batting her ears against Naruto's face, much to their shared amusement. "I've been experimenting. You know how you can assign a nature to my chakra, usually Katon?"

With an arched brow, Naruto nodded.

Halting the movement of her rabbit-like ears, Kyara removed one hand from around Naruto, lifting it, and almost immediately, crimson electricity began sparking up and down her arm, culminating in a small ball of red sparks hovering over her palm.

"I recommend transforming it into other natures, like Raiton." The electricity intensified, bathing the room in a scarlet light. "You might even be able to combine natures, and form sub-elements, like Hyoton, Yoton, the list goes on."

Naruto observed her electrified hand with no small amount of wonder.

"Admittedly, I only transformed your chakra into fire because that's what I thought it was capable of." He slowly said, raising his own gloved hand to her own, uncaring of the lightning arcing to his fingers. "Serves me right. I thought that, as a kitsune, or at least, having the form of one, limited your powers." His hand soon made contact with Kyara's, with Naruto slowly curling his fingers around her own. "I really shouldn't underestimate you, huh?"

"Well, I'm not the strongest Bijuu for nothing." Kyara bragged, her smile becoming a tad smug. Her acquired haughtiness quickly diminished, as Naruto tugged her left ear sharply, drawing a loud, slightly pained yip from the vixen. He turned his attention to her, eyes half-lidded.

"Do we need to talk about your ego again?" Naruto lightly chastised. He pulled at her ear more, causing Kyara to cry out.

"Ow! Thaaaat hurrrrrrrts, Naru-kun! Stooop it!" She exclaimed, dragging out a word every time Naruto yanked at her long ear. His pulls grew in force, until Kyara could take no more. "Ouch! Noooooo, we don't! Now quit it, Naru-tan!"

The sight was rather funny from an outsider's perspective. A beautiful, vulpine woman, desperately trying to stop a tall, blond man from pulling at her ears.

Eventually, Naruto did stop, letting go of Kyara's ear, prompting the vixen to smack him in the chest lightly, glaring at him childishly.

"I told you not to pull my ears like that!" She turned on her heel with a huff, crossing her arms. Her mock anger quickly faded, as Kyara turned back, a playful smile on her face. "Okay then...if you're going to be like that..." Her tails fanned out behind her, each swaying lightly. "Then I suppose it's my turn..." Kyara lowly said, her crimson eyes glowing impishly.

His eyes widening, Naruto took a few steps back, raising a hand in defense.

"Um...would sorry change your mind?" He said, slightly worried. He had given her full reign over the mindscape, allowing her to change it to her heart's content. This also meant she was ultimately the dominant power here. Naruto could revoke it, if he _really _wanted to, but that would be rude. His cute little vixen deserved the best, after all.

Kyara, while knowing of Naruto's thoughts, didn't let them deter her. She shook her head, a mischievous smirk on her face.

Then she pounced.

**(In the morning)**

Naruto awoke, as usual, at 5:30 AM sharp. After a romp with Kyara in his mind, he left her, albeit pleasantly sore and got about his morning routine.

Get out of bed.

Try and fail to get Saya off him.

Succeed in breaking Saya's grasp.

Place a whining Saya back in bed.

Wake up, and play with Brawlers.

Wake up, and play with Hydras.

Trip over a whale bone.

Play fetch with said whale bone, with said Brawlers.

Okay, maybe not his _**usual **_morning routine.

At least he got pleasant news in the morning.

The Necromorphs returned, noticeably with much larger numbers. After reviewing one Slasher's memories, it turned out that, while the all the actual shinobi at the base they attacked weren't all dead, the majority having run away with their tails between their legs, the civilian draftees on the other hand, had all kicked the bucket. And fortunately enough, for Naruto at least, all converted into Necromorphs. There were just over fifty new Necromorphs.

Happily enough, two Brutes were made as well.

Of special note, was what happened when the corpse of a child, and pregnant woman were infected.

Multiple children were involved in the Kiri draft it seemed. Huh. Ah well, not that he cared. Anyway, when a child's corpse was reanimated, they became a rather interesting type of Necromorph.

Walking around one of his new Necromorphs, Naruto keenly observed it.

It was clearly emaciated, and was very easily identifiable as a young child, with no clothing whatsoever, not that it needed it, as the genitalia seemed to have rotted away. It was rather short, only coming up to Naruto's waist. The skin was a pale gray, and two raised lumps of flesh were visible on the shoulders. The fingers became extremely thin, and skeletal, terminating in very sharp bone talons. The Necromorph's head was bald, and it's face was heavily disfigured.

The lips had been torn off, fully exposing the jaw, as well the now sharpened teeth of the child Necromorph. It's eyes, like most Necromorphs that possessed them, were a milky white. The mouth was apparently locked open, likely by rigor mortis, but when Naruto commanded it to, the Necromorph snapped it's jaw shut with more than enough force to penetrate human flesh.

Of note, was the tearing of the skin at the abdomen, and the puncture wounds around it's body. Likely the wounds the former child suffered before succumbing to them. And of course, there were more than one of these child Necromorphs.

Fifteen of them. From the way they seemed to huddle around each other, it was likely they had a pack mentality, swarming their prey with sheer numbers.

He would coin them, 'The Pack'.

And now, on to the most intriguing Necromorph of them all.

Formed from the corpse of an expecting mother, Naruto wondered if the fetus was also affected by the Blacklight virus. Was it now a Necromorph as well?

This Necromorph bore a heavy resemblance to a normal Slasher, with the literal shoulder blades, and overall posture. The key difference, was the large, heavy, and fleshy sac that hung loosely from the female Necromorph's stomach.

It looked incredibly easy to rupture, and Naruto could see a faint yellow glow from within. Curiosity overwhelming him, a quick telepathic order prompted the Necromorph to stab it's left bone blade into the sac, and slice. The sac deflated quickly, a yellowish fluid pouring out, along with what seemed to be very, very small Necromorphs.

They looked composed of small digits, like toes, and fingers, and moved around using them. Swarmers.

With a wet smack, the former fetus dropped to the stone floor, still connected to it's umbilical cord.

The infant Necromorph was heavily malformed, with the body having been twisted around to the point that the baby's arms acted as it's front legs, while it's actual legs had been fused together, forming knots with each other. The torso was swollen and glowed a bright yellow. Incredibly, the Necromorph _**cooed**__, _prompting it's reanimated mother to bend over, picking it up with it's abdominal arms.

From the squeals the infant Necromorph gave, it was acting just like a newborn baby. Likely a method of drawing in prey. From the swollen torso, it was likely the infant Necromorph served as a moving bomb. Was it filled with acid, like the Brute's bombs, or were they solely concussive? Regardless, it did give Naruto an idea for his Darters.

One such Darter formed on his shoulder, jetting off outside the cave. It's target was the ocean, and once far enough, it dived down, and detonated.

A huge plume of sea water rose in the distance, falling back down with a large, and audible splash.

All Naruto had done, was remove the acid entirely, leaving only the explosive compound gas. The Darter's carapace would fragment upon explosion, sending extremely small, and very deadly shrapnel in all directions. Excellent. It would serve well for large groups.

With another telepathic command, the Necromorphs were dismissed, returning to the dark interiors of the cave to go into their stasis.

A sleepy moan to his left prompted Naruto to turn, it was Saiyuri, having been awoken by the underwater explosion no doubt.

He quickly walked over to her, kneeling down.

"Hey, Yuri-chan. How you feeling? Doing alright?" Naruto whispered out, trying not to wake up anyone else.

Hopefully, Saiyuri retained her free will. She mattered to him.

Wiping away the sand in the corners of her eyes, Saiyuri yawned, and partly opened her eyes, turning her head to Naruto.

"Yesh...I'm perfecktly fine." She slurred out tiredly.

Shaking his head, Naruto gently pushed her down, her head coming to rest on the integrated pillow.

"Not physically. Mentally, I mean. What do you feel when you look at me? What do you think?" He clarified. A few snores were his answer.

Sighing deeply, Naruto stood. He would have to get his answers once Saiyuri was fully rested.

Idly, he looked around the cave, seeing no one up.

Considering how he currently had nothing to do, he may as well make modifications to his plans in Kiri. Attacking the Loyalist bases and outposts was all well and good, but Naruto was eager to finish up here. Kiri, while a nice breather from the ignoramuses at Konoha, was starting to get on his nerves.

Ah...why not attack Kiri itself? Operate from within, taking the guise of one of many Kirigakure denizens he had consumed. He already had a good target in mind. The hospital. With the Civil War, and with the majority of Kiri-nin posted outside of the village, fighting the war, it was likely not too many shinobi were guarding Kiri itself. After all, why would they?

If the rebels dared to attack the village, they'd find themselves the subjects of Yagura's wrath.

After making sure his girls were sleeping comfortably, Naruto left the cave, his mask and helmet once more concealing his face.

A series of high-explosive tags set up around the load-bearing portions of the hospital would reduce it to a pile of rubble, it's own weight serving to destroy it.

Naruto sought to spread fear in the Kiri populace. Perhaps he'd broadcast a message via TV. Call out Yagura. Food for thought.

Today would be a bloody day, indeed.

The citizens of Kiri would come to know Naruto well.

As a man who desired the deaths of every person in Kiri.

As Jupiter.

**Man. Lot of stuff happened huh? Saya is starting to become more intimate with Naruto, more Necromorphs have been made. Naruto is planning a terrorist act. Lots of stuff.**

**Oh yeah. I went back to Narutopedia to research how technologically advanced the Ninja World is. They have fucking laptops. And here I am, thinking they're all backwards barbarians. Expect me to mention this when Naruto finally returns to Konoha.**

**And, I think I've dragged on the Civil War arc for long enough. Next few chapters will be building up to it's end. **

**And by the way. Yagura's condition won't be what you expect. At all. You'll see...**

**Make sure to Review!**


	36. Chapter 36

_Chapter 36_

_Hospital blues_

"Sentence." _-Speech_

'Sentence.' _\- Thoughts_

**'Sentence' **_-Kyara's/Kyuubi's mental dialogue_

"**Sentence." -**_Distorted speech/__Jutsu._

* * *

The Kiri General Hospital was, rather ironically given the turbulent history of it's village, one of the most technologically advanced of it's kind, and boasted the highest rate of patient recovery in the Five Great Shinobi Nations. It was first established during the Nidaime Mizukage's reign, in an effort to lessen the mortality rate.

And for the most part, his plan succeeded.

Civilian-wise, the average life-span increased for men by six years, and for women by a whopping ten. Less birth complications occurred, resulting in a higher birth-rate for Kiri as well, with at least six newborns each day, all birthed at Kiri General.

But for the shinobi, not much changed. Medic-nin weren't truly capable of fully healing wounds in the field like a stay in the hospital. They could stabilize wounded shinobi, but an individual medic-nin was incapable of restoring a severely wounded shinobi back to fighting condition. A team of five medic-nin, utilizing the **Chikatsu Saisei no Jutsu (Healing Resuscitation Regeneration Technique)**, could heal mortal wounds, but it had a very low success rate due to the fact it took an extremely long time, so long, that spare medic-nin were assigned to replace members of the team when their chakra reserves dwindled to dangerously low levels.

Ultimately, while the Nidaime's plans only truly affected the civilians, it still meant that Kiri had the ability to be prideful for the fact that civilian deaths were more often than not, because of natural causes.

If only they could stop that nasty habit of civil war. Then the Kiri-nin could say that as well.

Today was a rather hectic day for the doctors and nurses that worked at Kiri General. Several dozen wounded shinobi limped in, each touting tales of monsters that spit acid, had sharp tails, or immense blades attached to arms that burst out of their shoulders. The hospital was filled almost to capacity, which meant every doctor and nurse was called in to work.

A female patient scowled as her television's screen became awash with static, ruining the Princess Gale movie she was watching. With a light growl, she grabbed the little remote, mashing buttons in an effort to somehow fix the TV. Little did she know, that _every _television screen both in the hospital, and in the entirety of Kiri was producing the white noise.

Just as she was about to shout angrily at any nearby staff, the hospital TV produced an identifiable image. Just not of the Princess Gale movie.

It seemed to be of the office building of the broadcast company's HQ where the subterranean cables that brought the TV signal to Kiri originated from. But rather than the normal to and fro of blue collared workers maintaining the signal, ensuring the people of Kiri got their daily dose of mindless drivel, the walls of the office were drenched in blood. Bodies were everywhere in the room, in varying states of damage, from dismemberment, to bifurcation, and some were even on fire, the sound of crackling flesh faintly being picked up by the camera's microphone.

And demanding the full attention of every person watching, was a trench-coat clad figure, directly in the center of the camera's field of view. He wore a double-filtered gas mask, with glowing red lenses, and black helmet to conceal his features, as well as black gloves to further hide his identity. The masked man held tightly onto a struggling office worker, the balding man begging to be allowed to live. As if he were lifting a feather, the masked man clamped his right hand down on his hostage's neck, silencing his cries, hoisting him up. The hostage clawed at the gloved hand around his throat, in a desperate, and vain attempt to free himself.

Nonchalantly, the masked man jerked his wrist harshly, with a sharp crack of his victim's vertebrae snapping. Tossing aside the now paralyzed hostage, the masked man walked forward to the camera and leaned over, until only his masked head was in frame.

"**I am addressing Kiri as a whole." **He crackled out through what may have been an electronic voice changer. **"My name is Jupiter. And I seek one thing. To personally kill your Mizukage." **Jupiter put his hands behind his back, leaning in closer. **"For every day Yagura continues to live, I will detonate a bomb in Kirigakure. There is already one set in Kiri General Hospital."**

The patient's eyes widened in horror, as she took a quick glance to the hall through the small window in her room door. There were a few nurses there, all huddled around a television on the desk of the nurse's station. From the muffled screams she could barely hear through the walls and said door, they were terrified as well.

She quickly returned her attention to the TV, but not before glaring hatefully at the casts on her legs. Why did she have to try and imitate those damn ninjas anyway? All that accomplished was a fall from a rooftop, and two shattered femurs. The nurses had since fled, and left her behind, more interested in saving their own hides.

"**This is only a warning. A sign of things to come. I won't stop killing. Not until I get Yagura. Bring him to me alive. Or I'll see your village crumble. Building by building." **Jupiter sinisterly threatened, forming a hand-seal.

And anyone who was watching their television, from the comfort of their own home, or through the window of an electronics store, they all heard that one word.

The word, which heralded the deaths of over a hundred.

"**Katsu."**

Before the patient could announce her last regrets to any who would hear them, the hospital shook violently. She was situated on the top floor, underneath which, were twenty-four other floors.

The last thing she ever felt, was the sensation of floating upwards, as the building she was in collapsed in on itself. Then nothing, as the ceiling above slammed into her mercilessly.

On the limits of Kiri, Naruto strolled out of the broadcast company building, whistling a little tune. He raised a single hand into a half-seal.

"**Katsu."**

And like the destroyed hospital in the distance, the office complex was reduced to a mere pile of rubble, the support pillars that kept it standing having been destroyed with more high-explosive tags. The accompanying cloud of concrete dust serving to conceal his quick shunshin.

No evidence.

No survivors.

**(The Sea Cave)**

With a thick cloud of black smoke, Naruto re-appeared in the cave, much to the delight of the Brawlers and Hydras. Before they could get too rowdy, he allowed them some time outside, to do whatever they wished. From killing animals to eat, to killing people to eat, and just plain killing. Naruto couldn't care less. He had more important matters to think over.

Like the fact that Yagura's days were numbered. Naruto had consumed a medic-nin in order to acquire a suitable disguise to infiltrate the hospital. The medic-nin was an expert in neurology, specializing in the after-effects that genjutsu had on the human brain.

As it turns out, this particular medic-nin was sent a top-secret document about the Mizukage's current status a few years before. It was incredibly vague, only providing some quips about how Yagura was experiencing a disrupted chakra flow to his brain, _oddly similar _to what was caused by an extremely powerful genjutsu. The medic-nin was ordered to provide an estimation of the kind of damage this could result in, and after filling out his reply in the document, it vanished in a puff of smoke.

The estimations included and were not limited to, major stroke, loss of motor function, and eventual brain death. If that last one came true, it presented a huge problem.

If Yagura were to become a vegetable, it meant that his consumption would have a high potential of yielding little to no memories. Of course, Naruto would still acquire his DNA, but that didn't matter. The knowledge Yagura possessed was incredibly valuable.

Would Naruto be able to somehow reverse the genjutsu? Presumably, with the Sharingan. Mikoto had a good deal of experience with the Sharingan. Naruto could do with some coaching by her. Reversing it was only to ensure that Yagura's brain, and thusly, his memories would remain intact for consumption.

While he did now possess Indra, the original wielder of the Sharingan's memories, he would have to fish through nearly a thousand years worth of them, sifting through not only Indra's personal memories and experiences, but also those of his numerous re-incarnations. Something which Naruto simply didn't have the time for right now.

Well, while he was here, he could also upgrade Kubikiribocho. Maybe combine the Kiba's attribute of Raiton manipulation with the zanbatou, and vice-versa for the Kiba, adding on the ability for the blades to repair themselves with the blood of it's victims. Ameyuri would certainly like that. Naruto could even change the grips, make them more ergonomic, and thusly, the blade easier to handle. Should be simple.

And then there was also the matter of teaching Saya how to fully shape-shift like he could. And ensuring Saiyuri wasn't mentally reprogrammed like the rest of his Evolved. Not to mention figuring out a solution to Anastasia's chakra problems. Last, but not least, planning Yagura's assassination and consumption. Naruto's bombing of the hospital was in an effort to turn the people of Kiri against him. Induce anarchy. In addition, the Mizukage would likely recall a large amount of shinobi to the village in anticipation for another bombing, as well as to control the populace in the event of rioting, providing the rebels a prime opportunity to attack understaffed Loyalist encampments.

Oh yes, and heading back to Mei because he didn't think ahead when acquiring her DNA. Sure, he could transform his chakra into Yoton (Lava Release) and Futton (Boil Release) natures, but Naruto didn't know any actual jutsu.

That being said, Mei was a rather interesting individual. Obviously charismatic. Admittedly very attractive physically. A waste to just consume. She'd make a good Evolved. That, and if she took over as Mizukage, then he would get an entire village under his thumb. What a prospect.

It never stopped for him, did it? All work, no play.

Thankfully, a fully awake Saiyuri helped him out.

"Naru-kun!"

Naruto was tackled to the ground roughly by an air-borne Saiyuri, with him unable to even cry out in surprise. Her onyx eyes gleaming with exuberant joy.

"I'm like you now! I have the virus!" She happily exclaimed, almost shouting.

With a slight groan, Naruto sat up, Saiyuri straddling him by the waist.

"Hi, Yuri-chan. Good to see you awake." A gloved hand gripped her firm derriere, squeezing lightly, prompting Saiyuri's cheeks to flush slightly. "But I'd like to get up now." His lips twitched into a sly smirk. "Unless of course, you want to remain in your current position. I'm not complaining."

Saiyuri's cheeks blazed crimson as something stiff bumped against her groin, and she quickly got off Naruto, stuttering all the while.

"Erm...Uh...y-you...I didn't m-mean to..."

Snickering, Naruto got to his feet, wrapping an arm around Saiyuri's waist, pulling her in close, and cupping her cheek gently with his free hand.

"You have no idea just how cute it is when you blush and stutter like that." He admitted, his eyes glowing in amusement. They soon lost that glow, as concern took hold instead. "How you holding up? Your body underwent a lot of changes. Do you feel any pain or discomfort?"

Her blush quickly faded away, as Saiyuri laid her own hand upon Naruto's, leaning into it slightly.

"Not at all. Why?" She made eye-contact with him, a hint of fear within her eyes. "Did something go wrong?"

Shaking his head slowly, Naruto tried to put his worries into words.

"Nothing physically. It's...mentally, where I'm concerned. The other Evolved, they regard me with reverence. My word is law to them. They are simply incapable of refusing a direct order from me. You can see where I'm getting at, yes?"

Saiyuri nodded, the apprehension she was feeling vanishing.

"You're worried that I don't have free will anymore." She whispered, her free hand coming up to his face, gently stroking his whisker marks.

"Yes." Naruto breathed out. "You know how I go on and on about leaving this world, about gaining freedom, but...I want you...all of the magnificent women who I love with every fiber of my being, to share in that liberty." With a sigh, he leaned forward slightly, bumping foreheads with Saiyuri. "I couldn't bear it, knowing that I had willingly _brainwashed _you, to the point you were like Ameyuri, and Haku. Capable of some independent thought...but irreversibly bound to me. To my will."

Saiyuri smiled lightly, helping ease Naruto somewhat.

"I'm starting to think you worry too much, Naruto. I'm fine. I promise."

The whiskered blonde chuckled briefly, agreeing with her.

"I suppose I am. I'm fairly certain I'd be getting gray hairs with all the things I stress over."

The Uchiha Heiress giggled along with him, before asking a question that gave Naruto pause.

"Do you have the Sharingan now?"

"I think so." He closed his eyes, and pumped chakra into them. Slowly, Naruto re-opened them, revealing a pair of mature Sharingan eyes. Three tomoes spinning lazily. The whiskered blonde raised an eyebrow when he saw what appeared to be the flow of chakra within Saiyuri, colored a with a soft blue. "Huh. Guess I do. Only problem is, I have no experience with it."

"Me and Kaa-san can teach you..." Saiyuri muttered offhandedly, enraptured by the sight of another pair of Sharingan eyes. The only times she ever saw that doujutsu anymore was when looking in the mirror with them activated, or at her mother's eyes when she had them activated. It was something that deeply saddened Saiyuri, knowing that the Sharingan was a rarity now. And yet, it was combated by the intense elation she felt as she looked upon Naruto's Sharingan eyes.

Another thing they had in common now.

"I was planning on asking Mikoto for some help anyway." He blinked, eyes returning to their normal blue-silver. "Well? Come on. Lots of things to do today. Let's get this whole Sharingan training thing underway."

Naruto walked away, intending on waking up Mikoto.

The day was still young. Only around 5:45 AM.

More than enough time to do all those little errands.

Maybe afterward, Naruto could kick back and relax. Let things happen without his input.

Hopefully, Mei would recognize the opening Naruto had given her with the bombing, and take full advantage of it.

It was time to end this little escapade.

Time to start making plans for Yagura's demise.

* * *

**And that's another chapter down. So, yeah. Civil War is coming to a close. Naruto's a mad bomber and anarchist now. Yada-yada.**

**Got something kind of important to discuss. A beta.**

**I'm not a perfect writer. I will admit that readily. And I'm a hundred percent certain that I have a lot of areas that I'm fairly weak in.**

**So...if you want to help me out, make writing a bit easier for me, let me know either in a review, or in a PM.**

**And of course, if you have questions about the story itself, make sure to let me know, via the above methods.**

**Make Sure to Review.**


	37. Chapter 37

_Chapter 37_

"Sentence." _-Speech_

'Sentence.' _\- Thoughts_

**'Sentence' **_-Kyara's/Kyuubi's mental dialogue_

"**Sentence." -**_Distorted speech/__Jutsu._

* * *

Naruto had gone to Mikoto for training, admittedly a bit eager to learn how to use the Sharingan. She was very much surprised at seeing him with the Uchiha's trademark doujutsu, but eventually shrugged it off, proclaiming how Naruto seemed to acquire new abilities at a dizzying rate. He agreed.

The two had walked outside the cave, having found a nice little spot on the beach a few hundred feet away. The sun was still low in the sky, and the sea was calm, a few small waves breaking against the shoreline. The smell of salt was heavy in the air, and the breeze was starting to pick up. Thankfully, the sand was still cool, much to Mikoto's appreciation, considering she was still wearing shinobi sandals.

"You already know the basics about genjutsu, right Naruto?"

"Yes. Alter the chakra flow to someone's brain, alter how they perceive reality. I've eaten lots of shinobi, Mikoto. I know my way around the usage of chakra. Ow. Was that punch necessary?"

Naruto rubbed at his shoulder, as a slightly miffed Mikoto shook out the numbness in her left hand.

"Stop with the sarcasm. I'm trying to teach you to use my clan's Kekkai Genkai, so can you please at least try and take this seriously?" She retorted, placing a hand on her hip, Sharingan activated.

He raised his hands in surrender, muttering an apology under his breath. Mikoto sighed, crossing her arms, and returned to her lesson.

"Now that you're ready to learn, let's begin. Activate your Sharingan."

Lowering his hands, Naruto blinked once, his Sharingan appearing. Mikoto leaned in, and tilted her head in slight confusion.

"You just got the Sharingan, right?" He nodded. "How is it they're already mature?"

Naruto shrugged, crossing his arms.

"Probably because in the process of turning Yuri-chan into an Evolved, there by obtaining your daughter's DNA, ergo, the Sharingan, I also gulped down an almost thousand year old spirit that had been hiding in Saiyuri's chakra. And said spirit happened to be of the Uchiha's progenitor, Indra. The older son of the Rikudou Sennin." He remarked offhandedly, as though he were discussing the weather.

The Uchiha Matriarch stared blankly at him, before shaking her head.

"Um...okay then..." Regaining face, Mikoto continued. "A-Anyway, the Sharingan can be used for a variety of purposes, like seeing the flow of chakra inside a person. You can see my chakra, and I can see yours." She chose not to comment on how Naruto's chakra was rather unsettling to see. The whiskered blonde seemed to pick up on her slight uneasiness, and took on an apologetic expression.

"If my chakra is...**_disturbing _**to look at, I can change it for you. Take on the chakra signature of one of one of my vic..." Naruto interrupted himself with a false cough, and looked away. "I mean, uh...what I meant to say was..."

"Okay, you should probably stop talking before you embarrass yourself anymore." Mikoto said, hiding her amused smile behind the sleeve of her cloak. "Thanks for the offer, though. I'll just have to get used to it, I suppose."

"Yeah...erm...shall we continue?"

The Uchiha Matriarch pulled away the baggy sleeve, her face becoming neutral again.

"Good. Now, make eye-contact with me, and I'll tell you how to cast genjutsu using your Sharingan."

Naruto did so, the tomoe of his Sharingan spinning slowly.

"Now," Mikoto continued. "All you need to do, is think of a genjutsu, and you'll cast it through eye-contact. Don't worry about me, I can handle it."

He raised an eyebrow, before eventually shrugging. Naruto narrowed his eyes, the rotating tomoe increasing in speed.

Mikoto's eyes started fluttering closed as she felt an instinctive need to sleep start to overcome her, while white feathers started falling from overhead, before swiftly dispelling the genjutsu with a quick burst of her chakra throughout her tenketsu.

"The **Nehan Shoja no Jutsu (Temple of Nirvana Technique)?**" She asked curiously, bringing a hand to her slightly aching head. "Why that?"

Naruto scoffed, crossing his arms, the Sharingan vanishing from his eyes, returning to their normal blue-silver.

"All it does it make you sleepy. No using your deepest fears, nothing of the sort. I don't want to see you get hurt."

Mikoto blinked, taking her hand away.

"Oh. Thank you, then, Naruto." In response to Naruto's act of affection, a small smile came to her. "Alright. Do you need to practice more with casting genjutsu, or...?" The whiskered blonde waved a hand, and sat down on the sand, patting a spot beside him in an inviting manner.

Mikoto took a seat next to him, looking at Naruto in slight confusion, deactivating her own Sharingan.

"As nice as it is to relax, shouldn't we be training on dispelling genjutsu with the Sharingan now?" She asked, looking down at the sand getting on her cloak with a bit of annoyance. Hopefully, it wouldn't get underneath the cloth.

"Nah." Naruto drawled, flopping onto his back with a quiet thud, folding his hands on his chest. "Genjutsu usually doesn't have an effect on me. You know." He rapped on his forehead for emphasis. "Since I don't actually possess a brain. Or heart. Or any internal organs. At all."

A small drop of sweat trickled down the side of Mikoto's head.

"Oh." With a bit of trepidation, she inched closer to Naruto. "What about **Tsukiyomi**? You had told me you were put under that genjutsu, and that..._Itachi.._tortured you with it." Mikoto's voice wavered slightly saying that particular name.

Naruto briefly turned to her, eyes glowing dimly in mild concern. With a short sigh, he returned his attention to the oncoming surf.

"Tsukiyomi isn't your average genjutsu. It's more than just changing the chakra flow. It's...like a momentary linking of minds, with the caster taking hold of the reins." Out of respect, he chose not to mention Itachi.

Mikoto scooched a bit closer, putting her hands into her sleeves.

"I see." She said quietly. The tide seemed to be coming in again, the waves lapping gently against their feet. The water was refreshingly cool.

"Do you want to become an Evolved?"

Mikoto blinked at the sudden question, and turned to Naruto.

"Um...I suppose so? I mean, what are the benefits?" She responded, a bit unsure.

He sat up, pivoting to face Mikoto. There was a slightly eager look on his face, a small smile on his face.

"Other than larger chakra reserves, and overall more powerful chakra, I'm not entirely certain. I'd have to do some tests back at the bunker. With willing volunteers, of course." Naruto sighed pleasantly, placing his hands on the back of his head, the smile having become larger. "There could be a lot of potential. From gaining shape-shifting and consumption like me, to entirely new powers that may be unique to different Evolved, at least until they share it with their fellow Infected."

Humming quietly, Mikoto inched closer still, while Naruto was still distracted.

"Interesting." She remarked, finding the courage to move even closer to him. "Are there any drawbacks?"

He cringed, closing his eyes.

"Only one so far. Infection will...render you sterile." He didn't know how Mikoto would take that news. Naruto certainly wasn't expecting a soft chuckle from the ravenette.

"You don't need to worry about that, Naru-kun." She threw caution to the wind, and moved right next to him, laying her head in his lap. There was a smile on her face, bitterness, mixed with acceptance. "I'm in my mid-forties. Menopause is starting to rear it's ugly head. Besides..." Mikoto's smile faded away, Naruto gently massaging and scratching at her scalp in response. She looked to him gratefully, before closing her eyes, and moving around a little, stilling once she became comfortable.

"I don't think I want any more children...soch..." She bit down on her lip lightly before that word came out fully. "_**Itachi...**_kind of ruined it for me..." Mikoto made a decision to change the subject, before she got too emotional.

"Where did you go so early in the morning?"

Naruto momentarily choked on air, an involuntary action, as Mikoto's onyx eyes, slightly watering, bored into his own. From the furrowed eyebrows, she wasn't planning on letting him go, until he answered her.

"I...uh..." Naruto stammered, pulling at his collar and looking away. "Um...I went to Kiri General...and...erm...bombed it..." He admitted.

"Ah. Trying to induce rioting, huh? That's a smart move."

The pale blonde looked back down, to see Mikoto with a single thin eyebrow raised, her arms crossed under her bosom. Releasing an internal sigh of relief, Naruto adopted a slightly confused expression.

"From your tone, it sounds as you've done something similar. Do I dare ask, how?"

She shrugged, idly tucking a lock of raven hair behind her ear.

"Third Shinobi World War. Me, Kushina, and Yumi Hyuuga, Hinata's mother, were ordered to infiltrate a Kumo occupied town in Hi no Kuni. We made plans, and the townspeople woke up to the sound of their Mayor's office, along with the mayor, going up in flames. It didn't take too long for them to start laying the blame on the Kumo-nin. After five days of civil unrest, the Kumo-nin were burnt-out after trying to control them, and then we struck. Killed every one of them." Mikoto reminisced.

Naruto blinked a few times, before sighing, and shaking his head.

"Oh. Isn't that kind of...counter-productive? Wouldn't the Daimyo throw a hissy fit at that kind of news? Konoha-nin blowing up his citizens?"

Mikoto smirked, somewhat bitterly.

"Who ever said that waste of space ever found out? Every village did some atrocity or another during that war, same as every other. That girl Rin forced to have the Sanbi sealed into her by Kiri. Kumo trying to kidnap anyone with a Kekkai Genkai, so they could increase their own strength. Including your mother, who had chakra unique to her clan, and was also Kyara's previous container, but that was back when we were still Academy students."

With a slightly twitching eyebrow, Naruto nodded. He actually didn't know about that kidnapping attempt. Or about the specifics of Rin's death. The former inspired a rather large amount of scorn towards the Cloud. The latter...

Well, it certainly provided more credence to the theory that Obito Uchiha was the true identity of the Masked Man.

Putting aside those thoughts, Naruto nodded slowly, albeit somewhat distractedly.

"Yeah..." With a smirk, he decided to venture into more cheerful topics. "Don't think I didn't notice you getting closer to me. I'm actually rather surprised." Naruto put his thumb on his chin, Mikoto blushing _**oh**_ so very slightly at being caught. "You, normally an elegant and formal woman, acting like a school-girl with her first crush."

The Uchiha Matriarch's blush brightened a little, hiding it behind the sleeve of her cloak. A spark of determination flashed in her dark eyes.

"Fufufufu..." Mikoto laughed demurely, narrowing her eyes seductively. She laid a soft palm against his chest, pushing him down. Like a mountain lioness stalking up to her prey, she crawling up a wide-eyed Naruto, who began leaning away from her. With a large smirk, she pounced, quite literally, onto his chest with a soft thud, the Sharingan blooming into existence. Mikoto deliberately pressed her bust against Naruto, dragging herself up to his face.

Three hypnotically spinning tomoe around a glowing crimson iris soon became the focus of Naruto's vision. There was a certain..._gleam _in them, and it took Naruto a while to figure out what it was.

_**Mikoto was a dominatrix.**_

Just as that rather interesting aspect to the usually matronly Uchiha was revealed to Naruto, she struck, pinning his wrists to the ground with a rather surprising amount of strength for her slender arms. Granted, Naruto could quite easily push Mikoto off of him, but why would he? Over the years, he had consumed _**lots**_ of people. There were a few BDSM enthusiasts in that list. Both sides of the traditional gender and sexuality spectrum, as well as submissive, and dominant.

Sticks and stones may bounce harmlessly off, but chains and whips?

They excited him.

Kind of.

I-It's complicated.

Naruto's thoughts were swiftly derailed as Mikoto kissed him. _**Fiercely. **_Surprisingly, she wasn't using her tong-_Oh dear Kami, she bites!_

Indeed, Mikoto had caught Naruto's upper lip in between her teeth, and was nibbling gently. Her tongue snaked it's way into his mouth, exploring the oddly dry confines, which was remedied with a single thought from him.

Mikoto drew back briefly, panting heavily, desperate for life-giving oxygen. The Sharingan was glowing brightly now, passion, and more than a hint of desire within those blood-red eyes, along with a flicker of love. Her breath was warm, delightfully so against his deathly cold skin.

The years had been very kind to her. Despite her age, she still retained her youthful appearance. No wrinkles, smile lines, crow's feet, or graying hair. Perhaps there was an Uzumaki or two in her family tree? A soft mewl brought Naruto back to reality.

The Uchiha Matriarch's cheeks were aflame, an alluring smile curving her narrow, yet oh, so kissable lips.

With a tiny smirk, Naruto decided to test the waters.

"So, should I start calling you Mistress now?"

That seemed about right.

From the way Mikoto's eyes narrowed, Sharingan being partially concealed by her thick lashes, it seemed to work.

And then she gripped onto his crotch. _**HARD.**_

_Uh-oh._

"Fufufu..._**Naruto-kun...**_" She giggled out. Her hand released his groin, instead slithering around his hips to-_She gropes too!? _"Just you wait until we get back to Konoha...I have **lots **of _**tools **_just for the two of us..."

'Ohhhhhh...why do I feel as if I've just made a horrible mistake?'

**'Hmm...that depends on whether or not you want to be the one bound, or the master.'**

Excellent, Kyara was awake now. Their last session was rather..._lengthy__. _On a mental scale, at least.

**'I'm not complaining. We went at it for three days straight. I feel so sore, but it is so worth it.'**

'Kinda busy here, Kyara!'

**'Mou. I was only saying...'**

The vixen's whine was pushed to back of Naruto's mind, as Naruto felt what could only be a literal_spark__ of electricity __jumping across __to __his body__. _Mikoto had raised her left hand, Raiton chakra sparking between the splayed out fingers. So that's where Saiyuri got her Raiton nature from. His somewhat comfortable musing was interrupted when she laid her palm down on his chest softly.

"Eeyah!"

What the hell?! Did she just **shock **him!? _**HOW? **_He didn't have any nerves to numb!

"Oh, don't worry Naru-kun...I won't hurt you. In a bad way, at least." Mikoto comforted him, in her own unique way.

It didn't really help.

"Gyaah! I don't want to know what it's like to be a copper wire!"

"Oh, stop whining. You practically asked for this."

"Ow! Okay, I'll admit it, I kinda did. H-h-h-holy shit that hurts!"

"Yes, it does. But in a good way, right?"

"Itai! Um...I suppose it does. Y-y-y-y-y-yeah, it actually does kinda feel pleasant. Huh."

* * *

Their little moment on the beach lasted about fifteen minutes. Ten of which was Naruto learning what a lightning rod went through in a severe thunderstorm. By the time the two got back to the Sea Cave, Naruto's hair was impossibly enough, spikier than normal, a few faint arcs of electricity sparking between the strands of sunshine, and Mikoto had a beatific smile on her face.

He could cross that off his to-do list. Train with Mikoto. Done. Tap into his inner masochist. Also done.

Now then...now where was Ameyuri? Raising a hand to his head in an attempt to return his hair to it's normal level of gravity defiance, Naruto quickly located the young swords-woman, on top of the cliff that the Cave was situated in. Bidding his farewells to Mikoto, idly noting Kushina conversing with both Saya and Saiyuri, Haku a few feet away, seated next to Anastasia. From their laughter, smiles, and Kushina's motor-mouth having been kicked into turbo, she seemed to be telling a funny story.

Tearing his eyes away, Naruto walked back outside, leaping upwards onto the upper level of the bluff.

"Hyah!"

The top of the cliff was dotted with a few dozen large palm trees, the green fronds swaying slightly in the sea breeze, rustling quietly. Some had been fell, cut neatly in half, the stumps around four feet and half tall. Ameyuri had the Kiba in her hands, lightning streaking along the blades. With a swing of the electrified swords, several bolts were sent flying at a palm tree, striking simultaneously, exploding, and launching the upper part of the tree off the side of the cliff, a loud thud resounding out a second later.

Smirking at the smoking stump left behind, Ameyuri prepared to commit another act of topiary genocide.

"Jeez, Ame-chan. What did those poor trees ever do to you?"

Only to halt midway through a swing at the sound of Naruto's voice. Her head swiveled to him, dark eyes wide. There was an amused look on his face, blue-silver eyes glowing dimly. His gloved hands were in the pockets of his trench-coat, and overall, he looked relaxed.

"Um...t-they were good training dummies?"

Naruto chuckled briefly at Ameyuri's bashful tone, pulling his hands out of his pockets, crossing his arms.

"Course they were. Say, Ameyuri?"

Moving out of her combat stance, her ears perking at how inquisitive Naruto sounded, and she walked up to him, thin red eyebrow raised.

"Would it be possible for the Seven Swords of Kiri to combine attributes?" He continued, Kubikiribocho appearing in his hand, having been unsealed from a small storage seal on his right palm. "I'm thinking of giving this the Kiba's ability to freely manipulate Raiton chakra, and giving those swords the capability of repairing themselves with blood." Naruto slowly swung the zanbatou in circles, Ameyuri's eyes having widened at the prospect he pitched.

"An excellent trade, don't you think?" He briefly glanced at the Kubikiribocho's grip, and blade, in slight distaste. "I might change other things about this sword. I mean, come on. This thing is so wide I can use it as an oar. And don't get me started on the grip." Naruto dragged his gloved finger along the blunt side of the zanbatou, a thoughtful look on his face.

"Might make it double-edged, a straight blade with a tapered tip. No point in having such a wide blade, so definitely going to narrow it down. A lot. Circular cut-out is absolutely useless in combat, and will only provide an opening. Could easily jam something into that, interrupt my swings. Hmm. I could use Katon chakra to heat up the steel, make it malleable. Make my fingers abrasive to grind down the blunt side, make the second edge."

Naruto's mumbling inspired a feeling of immense dread within Ameyuri. He wasn't going to just man-handle that sword, was he? No! He needed to go about it carefully!

"Alright, first order of business. This incredibly stupid grip. Off you pop."

_**Oh dear Kami he was going to tear the grip off!**_

"Wait!"

Ameyuri's sudden shout made Naruto freeze in place, one hand braced against the cut-out at the end of the zanbatou, the other poised to rip the sword's hilt off. She dashed up to him, Kiba being sealed away into her palms. She franctically began speaking, akin to a motor, making wild hand gestures as well.

"_**Y-You**__**dontneedtodothat!"**_ Ameyuri babbled, reaching for Kubikiribocho, which Naruto merely held up away from her. Considering the young woman before him was only four feet, seven inches tall, easily dwarfed by Naruto's own towering stature of six feet, three inches, it wasn't too hard to keep the sword out of her grasp.

"Oh? This is _my _sword. After all, I killed Zabuza for it. Had him for dinner too, but that's beside the point." Naruto leaned forward onto the balls of his feet, putting few more inches between Kubikiribocho and an increasingly panicked Ameyuri, who was literally leaping for the zanbatou now. "Considering I do own this sword now, what's wrong with changing it?"

The crimson-haired swords-woman shook her head, long bangs swinging back and forth. She took a calming breath, before glaring lightly at Naruto.

"It's not that. You need to treat that sword with respect." Ameyuri sighed, her glare fading away. "Here, let me have Kubikiribocho. I know everything about the Seven Swords. You need to, in case your fellow Swordsmen were to fall in battle." She held out her hand expectantly. With a shrug, Naruto placed the hilt of the zanbatou in her palm, Ameyuri closing her fingers around it with a smile.

"Thanks, Naru-kun. I'll get to work on this. I know a good smithy back in Kiri, she should be able to modify it to your specifications. Not to mention alter my Kiba too." With a large puff of white smoke, she sealed away the cleaver sword into her left palm.

"Really?" With a curious expression, Naruto crossed his arms, leaning in slightly. "Who is this black-smith, and why should I trust her?"

Ameyuri smirked devilishly.

"Cattleya."

That name, while seemingly thrown out randomly, quickly sparked a series of memories from Zabuza about a muscular, mature raven-haired bespectacled woman with blue eyes. There was one major thing that caught Naruto's attention. Well, two actually.

'Holy fucking shit. How in the hell has her spine not collapsed in on itself?'

**'W-Wow. T-That's q-quite the .'**

'I mean, seriously! Good Kami, those things could kill if she turns on her heel too quickly! Jesus!'

**'That would be incredibly hilarious to see.' **

Kyara proceeded to grow slightly confused at hearing that odd name again, rabbit-like ears pressing flat against her head.

**'You mentioned this 'Jesus' person back when the Shinigami turned up. Mind telling me about him or her? Just curious.'**

'Suffice to say, he is an alien from a planet where, during his life, they believed their planet was flat, and that he was the Son of God. Or Kami, as we call Her. Or Him. It's complicated.'

**'Huh?'**

'I try not to concern myself with aliens. Or alien religions. Or anything about aliens. At least, not right now.'

**'Um...right...Ameyuri is...'**

'Calling me? On it. You can head back to slee...'

The faint sound of admittedly endearingly adorable snoring cut Naruto off. Inwardly rolling his eyes, he brought his attention back to reality. Indeed, Ameyuri was calling his name, waving her small hand in front of his face.

"Naruto?" She jumped slightly when Naruto focused his undivided attention on her.

"I was busy talking with Kyara." He uncrossed his arms, putting both hands on the back of his head. "What's Cattleya's position on the Civil War, and can she be trusted to keep this secret?"

"She doesn't give a single damn about the Mizukage or his little war." Ameyuri answered, looking towards Kiri in the distance. "There are only two things that matter to her. Her son, Rana, and the Seven Swords of Kiri. Her ancestors forged them back when Kirigakure was first established, using a special forge imbued with the spirits of every past weapon-smith that used it. She can be trusted."

Naruto closed his eyes, humming in thought.

"Very well. Ameyuri." He opened his eyes, staring directly into Ameyuri's charcoal eyes. "I need to know, what condition is Yagura in?" Knowing the Mizukage's current physical state would be a major influence on his plot to kill him. If he turned out to have lost the use of some of his limbs as that medic-nin's estimations predicted, he'd have to plan ahead, make sure everything went into place.

"I don't know." She admitted, turning to him. There was a bit of sadness in her eyes, at having likely disappointed her dear Naruto. "He never directly relays orders to me, instead having either the Anbu give me a mission briefing, or one of his secretaries doing so. I'm sorry...really."

The whiskered blonde stifled a sigh, moving his hands to gently cup Ameyuri's cheeks. A small smile blossomed on her face, as the dolor vanished from her onyx eyes, replaced by a subtle joy.

"No Ame-chan, I'm not disappointed in you." Naruto smiled, prompting Ameyuri to look up at him. "Tell you what. Once I've done everything on my to-do list, why don't we spend some time together? Whatever you want."

The redhead swords-woman blushed brightly, already having an idea as to do with her excursion with Naruto.

"Get your mind out of the gutter. Head to Cattleya, please. I'd like Kubikiribocho and your Kiba to meet my standards. To improve them." Unfortunately, he wasn't interested in entertaining any of her fantasies about him. Yet.

A cave really wasn't the best place to perform coitus anyway. Neither was a swamp. The beach seemed a good idea on paper, but in practice?

That sand would crawl into places that you _**never **_want sand in.

"Oh, I'm certain there is no better sword than yours, Naru-koi..." Ameyuri muttered under her breath, glancing down at his crotch.

A vein pulsed on Naruto's forehead.

"_**NOT THAT KIND OF SWORD, YA PERVERT!"**_

In retaliation, he made a snap decision, slamming his fist onto the top of Ameyuri's head, causing her cranium to speed toward the stone ground of the bluff, and literally _bounce _off of it. Thankfully, the battered swords-woman came to a halt before she rebounded off the cliff.

Ameyuri's stunned state was admittedly amusing. Her eyes had been replaced by lazily spinning swirls, and she loosed a few dizzied groans.

"Go...see...Cattleya...sure thing...Naru-kun..." She uttered, before disorientation took her again.

'Oh my Kami, I have my mother's temper.'

Naruto's shocked thoughts were interjected by a little quip from Kyara.

**'D'you know what I find incredibly amusing about that? Deep down, you're just as bad as Kushina when it comes to perversion. Pot calling the kettle black, I believe the saying is. Eh. At least you're a gentleman when it comes down to it, and you only show it when you're around the women you love.'**

He chose to ignore the vixen, running his hand through his hair, and exhaling through his nose, returning to his usual composed demeanor. Naruto walked over to Ameyuri, and crouched down over her dazed form. A few snaps of his fingers quickly roused her, and after a fairly heated forgiveness kiss, she went off to Kiri. Naruto had no reason to worry about her. She was an adult, and could take care of herself. The fact that she was also a master at kenjutsu, and wielded what the Kiba, which were arguably one of the most powerful Seven Swords of Kiri, also allayed any concerns he had about Ameyuri.

Strike that off his to-do list. Upgrade Kubikiribocho and the lightning swords Kiba? Check. Ish. He'd have to wait for a moment, but who knew? Cattleya was an incredibly talented weapon-smith, judging from Zabuza's memories of her. Maybe his new and improved sword would be back within less than an hour.

Alright then. Now it was Saya's turn. Naruto had a few questions about her life in Otogakure he wanted to ask her anyway. So, he simply stepped off the cliff, and fell for a good fifty feet, before crashing into the sand with a loud thud, launching granules in all directions. Brushing off his trench-coat, and taking a second to stare bewildered at the sight of his three Hydras carrying a mangled pod of killer whales, impaled onto their beaks into the Cave, followed closely by all eighteen Brawlers, each hauling a large, and very much dead crocodile in their mouths. Every Brawler seemed happy, considering their swagger, and little fur-less tails that wagged so fast they were little more than blurs.

Animals got to eat. Animals mutated by a weaponized mutagenic virus have to eat, too. Just a lot more.

Brushing aside any concerns he felt about the Land of Water's more than likely recently endangered species, Naruto strode back into the cave. It seemed Kushina's story was over, as the group had scattered. Mikoto was with Saiyuri, apparently asking her very embarrassing questions about her passionate night with Naruto at Nami, judging from both Saiyuri's megawatt blushing, and her mother's teasing grin. The fact that he was able to tap into the younger Uchiha's thoughts helped too.

Kushina and Anastasia were both with Saya, the green-haired girl having an amazed look on her face. A quick peek into her thoughts revealed that the two women were teaching her how to fully shape-shift. Anastasia forming her hands into her Claws, affirmed that as well.

Huh.

Hands in his pockets, Naruto traipsed over, peeking over Kushina's head. Her petite stature made it rather easy. Not quite as short as Ameyuri, but still.

"Helping Saya-chan learn her full strength?"

The red-haired Uzumaki previously had her undivided attention on the young girl, so she really couldn't be blamed for her response to the sudden sound of Naruto's voice.

"_Kyaaaah!"_

The whiskered blonde leaned back as Kushina jumped in surprise, loosing a loud squeak. Cheeks burning, she whirled around, right arm reared back, and punched Naruto squarely in the gut, a childishly angry look on her heart-shaped face.

"Don't scare me like that, dattebane!" She cried out wrathfully to the downed form of her son, clutching at his stomach in mock pain.

"Itai..." Naruto groaned, rolling over to his left. "D-Did you really need to hit me with that hay-maker? I just ate dinner. This medic-nin, never quite got his name."

Having delved into that particular subject, he ceased his act, as did Kushina. The female Uzumaki glanced towards Saya, before looking to Anastasia, silently asking the brunette to distract the young girl. She nodded, and drew Saya's attention by tapping her on the forehead with the tip of one of her Claws, before walking with the girl a few feet away.

"So..." Kushina started, putting one hand on her hip. "It's time?"

Naruto nodded, having gotten to his feet.

"Yeah. We need to start thinking about how to kill Yagura. You already know about his possible disability?" He responded, crossing his arms. A stiff nod was his answer. "Good. The Mizukage doesn't get a personal residence like the Hokage does, so Yagura eats, sleeps, and works in the Mizukage Tower. I'll deal with him personally, but with the recent bombing, Yagura has recalled a majority of his shinobi, both to nip any riots in the bud, and to ensure that a repeat of Kiri General doesn't happen."

Naruto's eyes flashed crimson, as he frowned slightly. "I need those Kiri-nin to be distracted. So, you, Anastasia, Ameyuri, Haku, and Mikoto will work to draw their attention, assisted by the Necromorphs and some of the living Infected. You don't need to kill, just keep their attention drawn away from me. Saya and Saiyuri will remain here in the Cave, as will seven Brawlers and a Hydra."

"For their safety?" Kushina inquired.

Neither Saiyuri nor Saya had any true experience in battle, the slaughter at Red Delta notwithstanding, Saya especially. She knew Naruto didn't want any of them to be hurt, but Saiyuri, being a kunoichi needed to get a more in-depth understanding of combat, and ultimately, killing. Kushina didn't like it, and neither would Naruto, but this would benefit Saiyuri in the end.

"How about this? While you figure out a strategy to Yagura's demise, why not have Saiyuri help me, and Mikoto out with clearing out more Loyalist encampments?" Before Naruto could voice any protests, she raised a single hand, blue-gray eyes meeting blue-silver. "I know you want her protected, but why not have her be better able to protect herself? We'll make sure nothing happens to her, okay?"

Naruto sighed, knowing that Kushina wouldn't accept no for an answer.

"Yeah. Teach her as much you can, please." He turned his gaze to Anastasia, the pale brunette kneeling down next to Saya, the faint sound of tinkling laughter reaching his ears. "Alright. Gather those two," He indicated Mikoto and Saiyuri with a motion of his head. "and get to one of the more sparsely populated outposts in the Land of Water. Don't leave any survivors..." Naruto muttered, walking away. Kushina nodded to herself, and made her way to the two Uchiha.

"Tell you what, Saya-chan. Once we get back to Konoha, why don't we go get some sweets?" The green-haired girl's similarly colored eyes sparkled in delight, as she nodded almost franctically, her cute features little more than a blur.

"I'd like that a lot, Ana-onee-chan!" Saya chirped joyously.

Anastasia smiled softly, ruffling Saya's emerald hair.

"I know this great place, called Ichiraku's. They have lots of yummy food, like ramen, dango, even mochi ice cream. The nice people who own it are friends with Naruto, and that means that he can just walk in, ask for something, and he gets it. Why don't you go ask him to take you there when we get back?" She whispered conspiratorially, blue-silver eyes shining in mischief.

Saya, not picking up on the playfulness in Anastasia's voice, merely grinned in glee. Granted, her favorite food was her sleeping play-mates, but considering how she never got to eat anything sugary back at Oto, she was willing to make a compromise.

Naruto clearing his throat drew both their attention. The whiskered blonde had his hands in his coat pockets, with a small smirk. Saya turned around, eyes widening, before she gave a joyous cry, running towards him.

"Hey, Saya-chan." He got down on one knee, greeting the dashing Saya with a warm hug. "What did Kushi-chan and Ana-chan teach you?"

The girl in his arms grinned widely, raising a petite hand. Before Naruto's eyes, it morphed and distorted, until it became uncannily similar to his own Clawed hand, the only exceptions being that, rather than a matte black like his own arms when shifted into a weapon, hers was a bright red, and had an oddly fleshy texture, and that the Claws themselves were, like his own, only about half as long as she was tall.

Which, considering at full height, Saya was slightly shorter than Ameyuri, they weren't too impressive.

Naruto promptly changed his mind when an irked Saya, having read his thoughts, scratched his cheek in retaliation, leaving four thin lacerations, a small amount of ebony ichor flowing down, and dripping off his jaw. He raised a finger to his face, trailing across the small cuts, one thin blonde eyebrow raised. Saya herself had turned her back to Naruto, arms returned to normal.

She glanced back to him over her slim shoulder.

"Hmph."

Before scoffing, and looking away. Naruto couldn't help but be amused. She was acting just like an annoyed cat.

"Okay, fine." He calmly intoned, keeping his mirth from bleeding into his voice. "If that's how you're going to act, you don't get to go to Ichiraku's."

"_**I'llbegoodonii-sama!" **_Saya hysterically blubbered through a sudden choked sob, spinning on her heel, and crashing into Naruto's kneeling form, nearly knocking him over, wrapping her thin white arms around his shoulders tightly, pressing the side of her head against his chest, a flow of salty tears soaking his trench-coat. "Please don't be angry at me, Onii-sama! I wanna go to Ichiraku's!"

His protective instinct having kicked into high gear, Naruto embraced Saya, a gloved palm pressing gently against the back of her head, and whispering softly into her ear.

"Shh...hey, it's alright..." He breathed out, running his free hand up and down her back in a comforting manner. "I was only joking. You don't need to cry, Saya-chan..." The green-haired girl in his arms sniffled, raising her head to make eye-contact with him. Her jade eyes were slightly red, cheeks a little puffy from her childish weeping.

"R-Rweally, Onii-sama...?" Saya whimpered, blinking away the lachryma that trickled from her eyes, the excess being gently wiped away by Naruto's gloved fingers, having let go of Saya's head.

"Of course." Incapable of suppressing his laughter anymore, he began chuckling quietly, his pale lips pulling back in a merry grin. "If anything, I should be congratulating you." Naruto turned his head to Anastasia, a curious look on his face. "How long did it take for Saya to learn how to make those Claws?"

Having adopted a large smile at the tender scene between Naruto and Saya, Anastasia recounted teaching her.

"Not long at all. I just showed her the different weapons, like the Blade, Claws, Whipfist, et cetera, and she copied them, no fuss."

"Really?" Naruto directed that question to Saya, who had calmed down, nuzzling against his chest. "How did you do that, Saya?"

"It was easy..." The emerald-haired girl said, lyrically soft voice in a faint whisper. "All I had to do was shape the organic molecules that make up my body into a sharp edge, then adjust their chemical structure until it resembled steel."

She sighed pleasantly, ignorant of an awestruck Naruto, jaw having slackened. "For Musclemass, I moved more biomass into the muscles of my arms, making them denser, and stronger." Saya mewled airily, trying to burrow her head into Naruto's chest, her slender arms tightening around his shoulders, and closed her eyes.

Meanwhile, the whiskered blonde she was leaning against mumbled incoherently, having been knocked into a trance at Saya's intuition. That was precisely how Naruto, and really, any shape-shifting techniques utilized by his Infected, worked. By re-arranging the structure of the organic molecules, even mixing and matching atoms to create new molecules if necessary.

But how did she know? She only just started learning how to shape-shift, so how did she acquire such an intimate knowledge on the subject?

"Neh, Onii-sama..."

Hearing Saya's somewhat indignant voice, Naruto snapped his jaw shut with a quiet click, and looked down. The green-haired girl was pouting, eyes half-lidded.

"I'm just as smart as you, Naru-nii-sama. That's how."

"Um..."

Naruto really couldn't be blamed for his speechlessness.

At first glance, Saya seemed a ditzy, yet incredibly endearing girl. Barring the rather..._lethal _'games' she played, and the fact that she proved capable of forming tendrils merely by watching him do so. While he hadn't been lying in that forming a tendril was more complicated than it seemed, it was nowhere near as convoluted as creating a sharp edge, or bulking up muscles, without having them be reduced to mere strands of frayed fiber with the slightest twitch.

"Erm...right. O-Okay, why don't we talk about your childhood at Oto?" Naruto awkwardly said, before proceeding to lose his balance and fall onto his back as Saya pushed against him, a beaming smile on her face.

"Really?! I have so much I want to tell you! Like my parents, and about Orochi-jichan!"

Nodding with a small smile, Naruto sat up, Saya comfortably seated on his lap. A brief glance to Anastasia prompted the curly-haired brunette to stick her tongue out, before walking away. Once she had decided to busy herself by playing with the Brawlers, whose bellies were distended slightly. The Hydras looked on, before performing the equivalent of a tired groan, and laying back down, trying to ignore their aching gizzards. Maybe they shouldn't have eaten so much...

After ensuring that Saya was comfortable, Naruto steeled himself, and asked Saya.

"Tell me about your parents first."

* * *

**WHA-POW!**

**'Nother 'Hanger! Man. Those are so much fun.**

**So yeah. More character interaction and development (Hopefully...) this chapter. Cause I'm an emotional kind of guy. (Not really. I'm as Cold as Ice.)**

**Anyway, next chapter, I will try and introduce some more characters from Saya no Uta through the all-encompassing power of...**

_**DIALOGUE**_

**I sincerely hope I manage to blend it all together into a nice smoothie, and not have it come out as a mushy, and all-together unappetizing slop.**

**Bad metaphors aside, may as well answer a question I'm certain people will ask.**

_**HOW IS SAYA SO SMART!? SHE'S A FREAKING KID, ALBEIT ONE WHO THINKS KILLING AND EATING PEOPLE IS A GAME.**_

**Firstly, don't use all-caps. Its rude. Secondly, that's canon in Saya no Uta. The titular girl/inter-dimensional abomination is intelligent. Extremely so. So yeah. That's why. Not to mention, in my completely professional(?) opinion, it serves to remind my dear readers that no matter how cute she may seem, Saya is still something entirely in-human. **

**Perhaps even more so than Naruto...**

**Make sure to Review! **

**Also! If you've played Saya no Uta before, then I challenge you!**

**Guess who Saya's parents are! They aren't OCs, cause OCs are annoying, and that's as much as I'm willing to help you.**


	38. Farewell

Well. This is awkward. Bet you were all expecting me to finally update this story, huh? Regrettably, that isn't so. Instead, this is to let you all know...

That I might not continue this at all.

Yep. I'm throwing in the towel. At least, for now.

I tried. I really did. The chapter I had originally planned to upload? Over 17k words. And I had no plans on ending it without at least reaching 19k.

I'm not really sure what happened. I might have just lost my creative spark, or just gave up. Shit happens, and a lot of shit happened to me. No point in telling any of you about it, since empathy is something that is becoming increasingly rare in our world. And for me to expect any over the internet? Fool's dream.

But that doesn't mean that I'm not happy. That you haven't managed to make me feel as if I actually accomplished something meaningful.

Nearly a thousand people have favorited, and are eagerly following this.

A thousand.

Can you imagine that?

A thousand people.

Who liked the boring, amateur, cliché-ridden crap I put on the internet so much, that decided to say, 'This is one of my favorite fan-fictions, and I'll be sure to let anyone who visits my profile knows!' and 'I'm going to make sure that when this is updated, I'll be one of the first to know!'

That fills me with absolute joy. Honestly. Your support. Your tips on how to be a better writer. On how to make this jumbled mess of fictional events and people in my head into a coherent story. It means the world to me. And one day...

I'll make sure to make this up to you guys.

I **WILL **start writing again.

I **WILL **make damn sure that this never happens again.

Thank you. All of you.

And...

I guess I'll see you later.

Bye.


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